Silence
by omgitsmatt93
Summary: As a new student at Lakefront University, Bella finds herself instantly drawn towards her unbelievably handsome teaching assistant, Edward Cullen. But something lurks behind his eyes. Can she overcome a world so determined to keep her apart from him? What mysterious secrets does his silence hold? AH/AU. In Progress. Chapters Completed: 33/35.
1. Part One: Chapter 1

_**A/N: For me, this story started as something my mind created when I was stuck at work at 2 o clock in the morning. I originally had intended it to be rather short and to the point, but as it ruminated in my mind it evolved into so much more than I was expecting, with three distinct parts, and approximately thirty three chapters. I hope you enjoy the adventures of many of your favorite Twilight characters here in the Alternate universe of Lakefront University. It has been one of the best experiences of my life writing this story, and I do hope that you enjoy reading! All characters in this story are human. There are also quite a few hidden references to both Twilight, and also Taylor swift lyrics hidden throughout the text. If you find any, kudos!**_

* * *

 _ **Part One**_

 _ **...You Can Hear It In The Silence**_

* * *

Why had I come to this place? It seemed the last place in the world a girl like me should be. The very nature of it seemed to not only repel me, but to be repelled by me as well. The wind licked against my face, cold and biting, numbing me to the dull, uninviting world around me.

What I wouldn't give for the warmth of my childhood home again, not only in temperature, but in color. Phoenix had been just that for me; warm in every sense of the word. The way the rocky crags rose forth from the landscape, the way the air swirled up over the roadways surrounded by sparse gravelly landscaping, with towering cacti overshadowing the shrub like plants that in such a world passed as greenery. More still than the omnipresent heat, I missed the warmth of my mother's loving smile, missed how it filled my heart when Renee found moments of true inspiration in the world around her, regardless of how irrational or irresponsible acting on that inspiration may have been.

There was no warmth here, although I was no stranger to the cold either. I had moved to Forks, Washington in the middle of my junior year of high school and though I had never gotten as used to the chill, I had found that despite my initial dislike of the cool color palette of mossy rain forests and damp cold grey skies, I had eventually taken a liking to the place. Perhaps it was because of my father Charlie. He was a lot like me. He was quiet, shy, and typically kept to himself. Living with Charlie for the past year and a half had actually been much more pleasant, if not more eventful, than I had originally anticipated.

Therein lied my logic in relocating here for college. I had actually become accustomed to the dreary, damp cold, something that in theory would be similar, and therefore familiar, in the windy city.

I pulled my head out from between my knees momentarily from where I sat perched on the grass to stare out across the endless expanse of the lake. The dark water met almost seamlessly with the grey overcast sky. This world was almost seemingly devoid of color, except for the greenery of the grass and scattered trees about the lawn of sorts in which I sat. Even then, the colors were desaturated by the oppressive cloud cover, giving everything a cool grey overtone. The icy wind ran its playful fingers through my dark hair, tossing it about carelessly. Yes, this did feel a lot like Forks, I decided. It was the first observation I had taken comfort in since arriving here.

The other theory upon which my relocation was based was actually my missing living in a city, and the feeling of institution it instilled. No matter how long I lived with Charlie, I had always missed the eventfulness of Phoenix. About this theory I had found myself entirely mistaken.

In Phoenix, life could feel busy, but there was always pause to be found in the desert, pockets of quiet calm and relaxation hidden amongst the hustle and bustle. There were places I could find reflection. There was none of that to be found here. Nothing ever stopped here it seemed, at any hour of the day or night. This became apparent to me the moment I had stepped off the plane. The people moving through the airport had such drive and determination in their steps as to almost topple me about as I searched in confusion for the trains that would deliver me to what I now realized I was going to quietly suffer through for the next four years: College.

The train smelled badly of urine and dirt as it weaved its way through neighborhood after neighborhood, through the towering skyline of the loop until, several rough transfers later, I arrived at my new home: Lakefront University.

After struggling to haul all of my bags across the lawns of the campus and up the flight of stairs to my dormitory, I had met my roommate Jessica, a shorter girl with beautifully wavy, sandy brown hair. I had learned one thing about Jessica quickly: she was easily excitable. She had bombarded me with questions from the moment I entered the room. I tried to answer as many of them as I could with the minimum amount of information required to not seem impolite. She didn't seem to notice my lack of participation as she prattled on with more questions and information about herself. Most of it I ignored, but I did gain a few pieces of insight. First, she was a sophomore, which led to my deciding that I should fake as much enthusiasm as possible so that she would be willing to show me around. Secondly, she desperately wished to be a part of some sorority on campus, the name of which I forgot the very instant she had spoken it, and thirdly, she seemed to know every piece of gossip about every person on campus. I decided it would be best to stay in her good graces. The one thing she lacked, it seemed, was an appreciation for peace and quiet. She left me feeling uneasy about her, like a pawn on her chessboard. I allowed her to show me my first class and then made haste to escape her.

Everywhere I went it seemed there were prying eyes following me. Whether they were real or simply a figment of my own imagination I never knew. It seemed people were either in such a hurry that they bordered on blatant rudeness, or they were so overtly friendly that it was bothersomely annoying.

One boy in particular in my macroeconomics class seemed particularly difficult to dissuade in his over the top friendliness. The boy, whose name was Mike, had practically walked me on a leash towards one of the dining halls, though the route was well marked with signage. I accepted the gesture as it felt unwise to dispel any potential friendships so early, as they would likely be crucial to my survival for the next few years of my life.

By mid-afternoon the constant rush and flow of endless people and conversation had finally become too much. I felt tense and uneasy, missing the peaceful forest which I had left behind, something I had not anticipated missing in the slightest. Spying a patch of untamed trees at the edge of one of the campuses many lawns, I turned thoughtlessly into them and made my way down a nearly indiscernible path through the forest, bringing me to where I currently sat on the edge of the lake.

It was clear to me in that moment that I had made a mistake in coming here, but I couldn't dwell on that in the moment. Who knew how long it would be until I could again be alone. I stared out across the glassy water and let the wind whip over me. I listened to the sound of it as it flowed past my ears, saw the beauty of the rounded stones lining the shoreline, and for a brief moment allowed myself to feel relaxed. I realized what it was that this city lacked, the thing that I would miss the most from Forks: silence. I closed my eyes.

My moment of serenity wasn't a long one though. I could hear footsteps through the grass behind me on my right side. I ignored them. It seemed even traveling through the woods on an almost hidden trail couldn't warrant me any time to reflect in this hectic place.

The footsteps stopped, and I could almost pretend that I was alone again. Almost. After immeasurable minutes of hearing no more footsteps, I almost felt inclined to reopen my eyes. After all it was possible that perhaps I hadn't heard whomever it was make their exit. I decided to open my eyes and look.

I meant only to glance quickly, but that notion was abandoned the moment I opened my eyes, for before me, crouched no more than twenty feet to my right, lay the single most beautiful man I had laid eyes on in my entire life. He was staring noiselessly out across the vast expanse of water. There was no detail of him I didn't want to absorb: the paleness of his skin, the most flawless skin I had ever seen, the way his chiseled jawline looked as though it had been carved in marble by one of the great roman sculptors, the way that his beautiful tousled bronze hair seem to flutter fluidly in the wind, the perfect line of his nose and the slight pucker of his lips, the pattern of the button up shirt beneath his navy sweater, which clung to his clearly athletic arms and back. Even the way his jeans held tight to his legs, down to the deck shoes that he wore upon his feet. He was what every male model in the world had ever dreamed of being. I would have sworn I was imagining him if it weren't for the fact that I was sure I was in no way capable of enough creativity to pull such beauty from thin air.

I wasn't sure how long I had been gaping at him when he turned his head to look in my direction. My eyes darted to my feet instantly allowing my hair to fall over my face and knees. I felt ashamed to have been caught staring. No matter how beautiful the specimen, it was still a very rude thing to do. I allowed myself a quick peek through my hair back over towards the man who looked more like Adonis than any man should. He had resumed staring back out across the lake with perfect stillness. I felt a strange hitch in my chest just from looking at him, as though I shouldn't be allowed to stare upon him in my blatant ordinariness. Blushing in my embarrassment, I turned away from him and contented myself to stare back across the water. I would not look again, I promised myself.

"It's rather depressing, isn't it?" said a voice as soft and smooth as velvet.

I looked over at the perfect man, realizing that he had spoken to me. Ordinary, un-model-like me. I found him to be looking back at me, his face even more gloriously flawless straight on than it had appeared in profile. His golden eyes pierced into me with such power that they seemed to materialize a lump in my throat. I continued to stare wide eyed, until I suddenly realized he was waiting for me to respond.

"What?" I responded. He seemed puzzled by my lack of understanding to his inquiry.

"The weather?" he added raising an eyebrow. He must have presumed I had no wits about me as I stared at him in a stupor.

"I – I actually find it kind of refreshing," I managed to stammer. I had to look away from him momentarily to avoid him seeing the burning red that was rising to my cheeks. He let out a low chuckle that sounded more like a set of wind chimes than laughter should.

"This is your idea of refreshing?" He said, as he smirked a crooked smile in my direction. It was a smile unlike any I had ever seen. It seemed the world around him exploded into to color under its spell, almost like the sun had suddenly shown straight through the clouds to lighten the world beneath his glow. I felt my heart flutter slightly under its influence and shook my head blinking in order to see through the haze forming in my mind. I resolved to look out across the water. It seemed to be the only way this conversation could proceed coherently.

"Actually – yes. It actually reminds me a lot of home. Grey – cold – damp. What's not to love?" There was a brief pause as he contemplated my words.

"Is it safe for me to assume then, that home isn't here," he inquired in his deep, smooth voice. I paused for a moment as the realization of that truth sank into my being, and filled me again with a sort of longing sadness, and endless frustration.

"It is now," I huffed out. He didn't immediately reply, and so I continued looking towards the horizon simply to prevent myself from looking back at his glorious face.

"And that's why you're out here – on the first day of the semester?" he asked.

"Because it's so – how did you phrase it – refreshing?" His tone conveyed what seemed to be skepticism but I didn't dare look at him to confirm my suspicions.

"Like I said – I just thought it was a nice day so I decided to take a walk," I stammered. As I had been told many times by Renee and Charlie, lying wasn't my strong suit. This man however, was a stranger, and couldn't see my facial expression. I hoped that my voice hadn't betrayed me.

"Then why do you seem so miserable?" he asked after a moment of hesitation. Apparently it had. I couldn't help but look up at him bewildered, and his remarkable beauty struck me with a fresh blow, stunning me anew.

"What makes you think I'm miserable?" I asked cocking an eyebrow at him as if this simple gesture would be sufficient to discredit him. He smiled, disarming me.

"I wasn't certain, but now I can unmistakably see it in your eyes." He seemed sure of himself as he spoke in his velvety musical voice.

"I'm not miserable," I insisted, my voice sliding up a tad farther than I would have cared for had I still been in control of my wits. He smiled at me softly.

"But you don't want an audience to your misery," he said, continuing as though I hadn't spoken.

"Yes. I can see that now. Whatever has you upset, you didn't want to confront it anywhere that would put your pain on display, so the first place you saw that you could run off to, you took advantage of. I apologize for disturbing you," he said in a factual tone. My mouth hung agape at how easily he had been able to read me from such limited interaction. It horrified me. I had always been an open book, this was something that was well established by my family, but never had I ever been so thoroughly and easily discovered. Not only discovered, but seemingly mocked for my debilitating embarrassment at the situation. I felt the crimson tide of frustration rising in my cheeks towards this unbelievably angelic man.

"Or perhaps…" he continued, "… perhaps you are choosing to be miserable." He stared down at the rounded stones lining the water's edge as if he had become lost deep in the recesses of his own thoughts.

"Why would I choose to be miserable?" I asked in an elevated tone, appalled that he had the nerve to even imply such a thing.

"You don't know me. You don't know anything about me! You don't know what I like, what I dislike or where I'm from. You don't even know my name," I practically shouted at him as I jumped to my feet, turning abruptly away from the lake, and stormed off towards the lush greenery to trudge my way back to the lawns and buildings of the university campus.

"Wait," I heard his velvet voice call after me, but I would do no such thing. I felt far too vulnerable to return. I suspected that I had fallen victim to his beauty the way countless others likely had in the past, and as he likely had in the past, he had used that vulnerability to taunt me. He may have been significantly more beautiful than the others around this place, but he was absolutely no better than the rest of them.

But I could do nothing to prevent his words from spinning around inside of my head, quietly digesting them, disassembling them and rearranging them. Perhaps he was correct. Perhaps I was miserable. Whether I was miserable or not, I was certain that I wasn't going to like it here. I was also certain that I never wanted to see him again. I never again wanted to hear his smug assumptions about me when he knew nothing about me at all. I was positive about that. Clearly beauty was not the measure of a man. I couldn't shake the feeling however, that a smile as enchanting as his, so mesmerizing as to bring color to the world, would haunt me for the rest of my days. I shook the thought away quickly, and my resolve hardened. I had no room in my life for any negativity but my own.


	2. Chapter 2

I proceeded to my dorm that evening wearing my mask of artificial enthusiasm, pretending nothing out of the ordinary had transpired during the day. Jessica seemed to buy my story. So did Mike, whom apparently had overheard Jessica speaking with some of her girlfriends about her new best friend, her roommate, and had thus shown up in our common room this evening. I could tell his presence was going to quickly become prohibitively exhausting, but I was resolved to ride the wave of Jessica's friendship as far as I could, and thus realized that I would have to at the very least tolerate his presence. Jessica did seem a nice enough person. Still, I couldn't shake the underhanded suspicion that she was getting something out of my friendship. Of what that was, I was as of yet unaware, but she seemed to be the type of person who only helped others if it in some way benefited herself.

Mike's intentions, on the other hand, were blatantly obvious, judging by his constantly downward drifting gaze. I made a mental note to wear more layers around Mike in the future or this was quickly going to become an issue, an issue which again, I had no power to resolve lest I risk alienating one of the only friends that I had. I furtively wished that none of it had to be so complicated. I tried to pay attention to the conversation that different people in the group were having. I had already forgotten all of their names and most of them were sophomores like Mike and Jessica. What made focusing more difficult were my own thoughts, which kept wandering back to my encounter earlier that day. His piercing golden eyes, beautiful and gleaming as amber, back to his smile that seemed to wipe me clear of thought, to his musical laughter, and velvet smooth voice.

"What classes do you have tomorrow Bella?" Jessica's high voice said, interrupting my thoughts. Everyone was looking at me expectantly. Obviously they been talking to me while I had been obliviously day dreaming about a man that I despised.

"Um – Tuesdays and Thursdays I only have Biology one in the afternoon," I managed to stammer. The girl across from me smiled gently. It was the warmest expression I had felt from anyone since I had arrived.

"Which professor?" Jessica asked, her voice muffled from stuffing a mini donut in her mouth at the wrong time. She seemed rather shameless about it.

"Um – Professor Banner I think," I said, trying to find the class on my roster.

"Oh my god! His class is great," Jessica exclaimed after having swallowed her donut half chewed. She was met from around the group with skeptical looks.

"Ok. Ok. So maybe his class isn't _actually_ that great, but good _god_ , his teaching assistant is so _hot_." Her eyes practically glazed over at the memory of him, or more likely, the memory of some fantasy which she had created about him. Different female members of the group mumbled in agreement at the teaching assistant's apparent attractiveness. Mike rolled his eyes with absolutely no subtlety, clearly aggravated by all of the girl's obvious attraction to this man.

"Eh he's alright I guess," Mike mumbled in aggravation.

"You're entitled to your wrong opinion," Jessica jabbed at him. I had to admit I was moderately intrigued, even though I was positive that no matter how attractive he was, he would not hold a candle to my mysterious stranger I had met earlier in the day. No man I had ever seen outside of a magazine could. Still, I decided that I would attempt to reserve my judgement. Besides, the sciences were my least favorite classes, so at the very least it had to in some way make the course more bearable.

"Angela aren't you in Biology one with Banner too?" Jessica asked.

"Yes, tomorrow at three. If you want to meet me outside the dining hall I can show you the way Bella, if you'd like?" said the girl with the warm smile. I could already tell she was a kind soul and I would gladly accept her companionship.

"Sure. That sounds great," I said with my first genuine smile of the day.

The evening wound down slowly with people departing at various times to proceed back to their dorms. Jessica seemed to be swimming in the attention, something that I rather detested, so rather early on I resigned to retire back to our room. At first she seemed a bit saddened by my decision but when another girl asked her a question about yet a different girl and another boy, neither of whom I had ever heard of, Jessica seemed to wholeheartedly recover her vigor, allowing me to make my escape. I hung my sweater in my closet space, changed into my old pair of worn out sweatpants, and crawled into my bed. I must have been exhausted as I don't even remember falling asleep, and no dreams stirred me through the night. The following morning, I woke to find Jessica already gone for the day, although in an act of kindness I hadn't expected of her, she had left me a note on the desk. It simply read: good luck today! Then she had drawn a few pictures which I took to be a fire and a heart. It seemed that perhaps Jessica was a bit jealous that she wasn't attending Professor Banner's class with me today. She struck me as the type of girl who enjoyed appreciating a fine male specimen, to say the least.

I tried to find something useful to do to consume my time, and began by looking over my economics syllabus, but I was unable to find anything that Professor Dimsey had not already covered in her lecture. After aimlessly looking over my class roster yet another time, a pointless activity, for I had already memorized it the night before, I made the decision to explore the rest of campus. The clouds were gone and the sun made the lush green of the lawn look rather appealing. It may not have been very reminiscent of Forks, but it did actually seem genuinely refreshing.

I found myself strolling across the lawns of the campus, basking in the warmth of the sunlight, the cool pleasant air whisking by me. I was immediately satisfied that I had left my cardigan back in my dorm, for there was no need for it on this perfectly sunny day. After aimlessly strolling around for a while, I found my mind wandering back to the events of the previous day for yet another go at things. It was curious to me why I couldn't just let it go. In the grand scheme of things it seemed like such an inconsequential interaction. As my mind twisted around his words, my subconscious had taken over my feet and by the time I regained recognition of where I was, I found myself staring at the overgrown path into the woods, today glowing a brilliant sunlit green.

I laughed in spite of myself, for it was absolutely absurd. I had already resolved never to see him again, a fact that I reminded myself. Besides, what were the odds he would be in exactly the same place he had attended the previous afternoon. Schedules were different on Tuesdays and Thursdays, all of the students knew that. Still, the thought of the lake in the sunlight seemed appealing to me, or at least, the validity of that as an excuse seemed appealing to me, and so I set forth on the wooded path. Moments later I emerged on the other side of the trees to see an endless stretch of beautiful turquoise water. As I had logically anticipated, I stood alone along the shoreline. It made no sense to me that even though I had already known he would not be there, I still felt disappointed by the lack of his presence; his terrible, rude, patronizing presence.

Even in his absence, the beach lawn was still peaceful, and I felt certain that it would once again become a wonderful place for me to reflect in the future once I had rid myself of my own embarrassing preoccupation with the mysterious stranger. Today however, the shame was still too great, and I abruptly turned and hiked back along the overgrown path towards the campus. It was nearly time for me to meet Angela anyways, and she was the one person at Lakefront University I had no intentions of disappointing.

When I arrived at the dining hall Angela was already there waiting for me just outside the door, soaking up the sunlight.

"Hey Bella! Are you ready for Biology?" she called to me cheerfully.

"Sure, although I really don't want to leave the sun. It's so beautiful outside today," I said with a timid smile.

"I know. I feel the same way. But we really shouldn't miss our first class should we?" she asked, chuckling warmly. I liked Angela already.

We walked in silence to the medical building, but there was nothing empty about the lack of conversation at all. It was the kind of quiet between two people that is filling and warm. She appreciated quiet as much as I did. Angela and I were going to get along just fine.

We entered the medical building and turned down the main hallway towards a larger lecture hall, one that likely held several hundred people. Over two thirds of the seats were already filled so Angela and I filled some of the seats closer to the back of the room. We truly were kindred spirits, never wanting to stand out from a crowd. The room was decorated entirely in earth tones and warmer hues, and was overall, for a classroom, very inviting. There were no fluorescent lights to speak of. Everything was lit in warm incandescent glow.

In a few short minutes the hall was full, and Professor Banner strode into the room to introduce himself to us. He seemed a bit on the drab side, but knowledgeable and a taker of no nonsense. I had the distinct feeling that as long as I paid attention, I would at least be able to pass, which in my book was a godsend.

Throughout his introduction, Professor Banner continued to remind us of the importance of attendance, and that it was his personal policy to take attendance during every class. It seemed a fair enough policy to me.

"During roll call, if you could simply raise your hand, or stand if you wish, that way my teaching assistant, Mister Cullen here, can see that you are present, it would be greatly appreciated. If you would proceed Mister Cullen," Professor Banner said, departing the stage and gesturing to a man who was in the back of the room in the small room which housed the projection equipment. I turned around eagerly, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man whom all of the girls in our group the previous night had found so absolutely attractive. If only I could tell them what attractive really meant. If only they had met my stranger from the previous day. I twisted further about in my seat to get a good look at Mister Cullen.

"My word," Angela whispered, her eyes widening. As he came down the aisle and into the light, an audible number of gasps and murmurs came from the female students in the room. As for me, three things happened simultaneously. My breath caught in my chest, my heart leapt clear up to my throat, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with the need to vomit. His bronze hair shone in the light, his skin warm and soft in its glow, and his graceful stride looked as though it belonged on a catwalk. It was him, the man that I had sworn to never see again, the man I had been making my best attempt not to think about, the absolutely gorgeous, yet discourteous and unsympathetic person whom had been haunting my waking thoughts. And now, I had no way of escaping him. If I fled he would see me. But perhaps if I stayed, if I raised my hand and hid my face, he would not recognize me. The plan formed concretely in my mind as I tried to keep down the contents of my churning stomach.

And so roll call began. Every time he would call out a girl's name in his velvet voice, I could practically hear the longing in their reply. It also became quickly apparent that there would be no way to avoid being seen by him during roll call. The seat directly in front of me was inconveniently empty, and the slant of the auditorium floor offered me no place to hide.

"Garrett Stanley," he asked smoothly. A hand raised across the room, followed by a low _here_. I was so close on the list. Perhaps if I ran fast enough he would not recognize me.

"Isabella Swan." Hearing my name spoken from his perfect lips sent a jolt of apprehension through my body, raising goosebumps on my arms. There was no sound in the room. His gaze looked about expectantly, and I felt Angela staring at me. She said something to me in a whisper, but I did not comprehend what it was. I was frozen in indecision.

"Isabella Swan." He repeated. The only reply he received was the deafening silence of the room. After a moment, he began to look down at the list as if to make a mark by my name. My hand slowly lifted off of my lap, and I focused hard on trying not to tremble.

"Present," I said meekly. His golden eyes shot up and met with mine. It felt as if he were peering into my soul, instantly reading me with absolute accuracy once more. I waited for it, for the taunt that should be forming on his lips in that moment, but his eyes lingered on me, surprise floating in their endless depths, and perhaps, though I couldn't be certain, even a small measure of satisfaction. At what I hadn't the slightest clue, but I perceived it, if only for an instant, as a small smirk tugged up at the right side of his perfectly symmetrical lips.

"Jared Torylo," He said, his eyes still locked on me for a few more moments before after a hand shot up across the room and he turned his eyes back to the paper.

Released from his gaze, I immediately stared down at the flattened brown carpet, trying to control the urges in my body at that moment: the urge to hurl, the urge to flee, the urge to stare.

"Are you alright Bella?" Angela whispered in my ear. I nodded with as much conviction as I could muster.

The class passed very slowly, and very quickly all at once. Anytime I thought that he wasn't looking, I would steal a glance in Mister Cullen's direction, although it felt awkward thinking of him as a mister. He couldn't have been more than a few years older than the rest of us. He caught me glancing upwards in his direction at least twice. However, on a few occasions, I could have sworn I had caught a brief glimpse of him gazing back in my direction as well, only to look away quickly when my eyes met his; when my flat brown eyes, met the immeasurable depths of his beautiful amber ones. I had never felt more unremarkable in my entire life. Who was I to begin to even remotely feel any slight semblance of lust for him? I could not allow it. It would do nothing but burden me, and likely annoy him. I continually reminded myself of his unkindness, and of his impolite taunting. The moment we were released I had planned to quickly escape the room. I would tell Angela that I felt ill, which was in no way a fabrication.

When Professor Banner finally released us however, there was no mistaking Mister Cullen's voice ringing over the room like song.

"Miss Swan. A word if I could," Mister Cullen asked of me. It was as if his voice had reached out and grabbed my body, pulling me towards him against my will.

"I'll wait outside," Angela whispered. I found myself standing before him as the other students filed out of the room. Today his sweater was a forest green, which fit snuggly against the broad and defined musculature of his chest.

I looked up at him expectantly. I hadn't forgotten his cruelty, which was likely only overshadowed by his ego. I found it hard to believe that anyone who looked like he did was in even the slightest amount unaware that fact. I cocked my eyebrow at him, waiting for him to speak first.

"You're looking less…" he began hesitantly.

"What? Miserable?" I asked curtly, staring him down. He looked shocked, and taken aback at my abrasiveness. The hard lines of his professional demeanor seemed to soften slightly. He did not respond, but neither did he avert his gaze.

"What do you want Mister Cullen?" I asked with a sigh. I did not know how much longer I could hold myself together in the face of him, even if he deserved my anger.

"Please, call me Edward," He requested softly with an almost imploring tone. I took a deep breath, attempting to hold my mental footing, for it would be so easy to lose under the powerful gale of his softening gaze.

"Fine – Edward," I said, attempting to sound exacerbated, but it guiltily sent a small stir through my stomach to say his name as though he were someone common to my life.

"What do you want?" I asked again, my real exacerbation returning.

"I – Just wanted to apologize," He began.

"I feel as though I came across as moderately rude and…"

"Moderately?" I interjected, rolling my eyes at him.

"As _completely_ rude," he corrected, "… in our first encounter, and since clearly we are going to be seeing quite a bit more of each other…"

"Clearly," I interjected flatly.

"…I just wanted to be sure that I had cleared the air with you, so to speak," He finished. I stared up at him without replying as I studied his expression, searching for a sign of insincerity.

"So – Do you accept my apology?" He asked hesitantly as I continued to gaze upwards at him with scrutiny. His eyes seemed to peer into mine, as if to detect the earnestness of my response to his apology. I had to look away from them momentarily to recollect my tangled thoughts.

"I suppose," I said to the ground. I looked back up to see his uncertain expression lift into a grin of contentment.

"Alright then," he said with a playful smirk.

"I suppose I will see you around then – Isabella Swan," He said, smiling at me tauntingly, not in a malicious way, but in a playful one. His smile, of course, was as forceful and stunning as ever. He turned then with one hand placed into the pocket of his trousers and began to stroll towards the rear door of the auditorium. My mind swam, unsure of what to do. Should I stop him? Should I forgive him? He had reached the door when my mouth decided for me.

"Bella," I called after him. He stopped in the doorway and turned to face me with a look of puzzled amusement. He raised an eyebrow.

"Just – Bella," I said softly. He grinned, the inexplicable satisfaction returning to his face.

"Until next time then, just – Bella," He said. The way his voice seemed to caress my name left me staring at where he had been as the door closed behind him. My mind had finally caught up to my voice agreeing that it was the right thing to do to forgive him. First impressions were not everything, and his second impression was nearly the exact inverse of his first. I was left thoroughly confused as I exited the classroom. Angela was eyeing me with concern from the hallway just outside of the auditorium door.

"What was that all about?" she asked. Unlike if Jessica had asked the question, I knew that Angela's inquiry had come from a place of concern for my well-being. I however, was in no place to talk about how confused I was.

"He um – he had bumped into me earlier by accident and just thought he should apologize," I lied partially, something I felt guilty doing to Angela. But how was I supposed to answer her truthfully? I was unsure of what had even happened.

That night at our group meet up in the common room, the topic drifted to Edward only once, which was far fewer times than my own mind drifted to him. The topic was only brought up when Jessica had asked if we were satisfied with his attractiveness. In reality, she did not phrase her query quite so eloquently. She actually wanted to know on a scale of one to ten how sexy we believed him to be. Angela said it best when she suggested words could not describe him and that she would need to start a new scale altogether. It was an understatement in my opinion. Even after turning in for the night, I could not stop thinking about his apology, the sincerity of it, and even in my clouded tired mind, his face. The last thought that crossed my mind that evening was of his dazzlingly brilliant smile, before I was claimed by the realm of unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

It seemed that after those first two days, the pleasantries of my courses were over, and the workload intensified severely. I almost felt like I was drowning in studies as the week progressed, something that Jessica assured me only happened for the first week or two.

"They're just trying to see what you're made of," she kept repeating every now and again.

What was I made of? Endless exhaustion it felt like, and it was of little assistance that all I could do Wednesday was to wait for it to be Thursday, so that I could again see Edward in biology. I ridiculed myself about the preposterousness of it all. But when Thursday finally did roll around, it was much the same as it had been in the previous class.

Upon sitting down next to Angela, I couldn't help but glance toward Edward, ready to avert my gaze if necessary. When my eyes found him though, he was looking nowhere near me, steadily scanning the room almost as if he were trying to figure out some puzzle that the students filing in had presented him. His attire was significantly more casual today, yet his presence still dominated the auditorium. A female student interrupted his wandering eye to hand him some sort of paperwork. He smiled down at her from the stage and as she turned her back on him I could see her overwhelmed expression. She began fanning herself with her binder on the way back to her seat, clearly titillated. His powers, while amusing when not being directed at myself, were still absurdly unfair. Of one thing I was certain, having read the atmosphere in the auditorium. Every girl in the room wanted to be with him, and every guy in the room wanted to _be_ him.

His eyes absently returned to scanning the room, much closer to me this time, so I looked down again, pretending to read whatever was on the page I had randomly flipped to in my trigonometry textbook. As if I could absorb anything about mathematics when my mind was thus distracted. After a few minutes I risked a peek back up towards him. He was looking directly at me, smiling warmly, contently. The look of inexplicable satisfaction had returned, and he nodded in my direction. My heart seemed to begin beating erratically as I attempted to return his smooth and subtle gesture, only I imagined that my nod certainly looked significantly more clumsy and awkward than his.

Class began much the same as it had formerly. Roll call was first, although this time he did call me by my preferred name of Bella, a gesture which earned me a curious look from Angela, though I knew she would be too polite to inquire about it. Bless her.

Class then continued much as it had the last time, with me trying not to look at Edward except when necessary, and failing on numerous occasions, and just as before, he caught me multiple times. Also just as before, there were several instances when I found him glancing in my direction, only to quickly avert his gaze at my noticing.

Today Professor Banner was lecturing on the proper use of laboratory equipment, and had brought in samples of all of the different equipment we would be using. He had instructed us that in a few moments we would all be proceeding to the stage to have some hands-on practice with the equipment. Before we could use it in the lab he wanted us to be signed off on the proper usage of the teaching models. This was a far from ideal scenario for me. Not only would I be handling delicate lab equipment, which given my natural tendency toward clumsiness was never a good idea, but I was aware that I would be watched by Edward as I did so.

The first few examinations went swimmingly, as they were all done under Professor Banner's supervision. Microscopes, beakers, and what not, all rather brief visual checks. I was intentionally stalling on the scalpel station, where we would be showing proper holding technique, then proceeding to make a clean cut down a block of cheese. I was primarily avoiding this station for two reasons. Firstly, the idea of myself wielding a weapon, no matter the size, seemed an irresponsible thing to me. The possibility of me accidentally injuring myself or someone around me seemed dangerously high. And secondly, to exacerbate the issue further, it was the station that Edward was overseeing.

Upon running out of other activities to perform, I begrudgingly placed myself in line for my turn with the scalpels. I briefly considered whether or not it would be possible to forge Edward's initials on my piece of paper and simply turn it in, but since it was the only station he was overseeing it seemed likely he would notice my absence.

Once Angela had finished her work with the scalpel with nearly expert precision, she turned to give me a small smile of encouragement before walking away to present her form to Professor Banner. This left me alone at the scalpel station, only a few feet away from Edward, who sat grinning at my approach. His handsomeness was almost too much to bare, even in his far more casual attire. A patterned button up shirt, with the sleeves rolled to midway up his perfectly crafted forearms, exposing them as he leaned backwards in his chair, with his hands crossed behind his head. The top button on his shirt was undone, exposing the bare skin over the ridges of his throat and collar bones. I had to prevent myself from staring at him, and so, I looked towards the table on which the scalpels were placed. I was much more likely to lose a finger if I continued to be distracted by him. Even looking away from him did not entirely assuage my fear of dropping the scalpel onto myself, gouging myself or possibly losing a toe. I supposed I could still manage worse. I could accidentally stab Edward. I supposed that stabbing him would likely nullify his apology to me. The thought of it made me feel queasy.

I grasped the scalpel carefully, as though I were handling a weapon of mass destruction, grasping it with extreme caution between three fingers and holding as far from my body as my arm allowed. I could see Edward smiling at me comically out of my periphery.

"I doubt you could hurt a stick of melted butter holding it that way," he chuckled at me. I turned to scowl at him, but my scowl didn't stick as his jovial expression melted my aggravation effortlessly. Never had I been so close to him, and his eyes shone even more wildly looking up at me from such proximity. His bronze hair seemed to gleam with an almost metallic luster beneath the incandescent lighting.

"Perhaps as the teacher you could make a correction as opposed to simply laughing at me," I suggested. He sighed and his smirk quickly gave way to a warmer more sincere grin. The perfect arch of his eyebrow cocked upwards as he looked at me intently.

"May I?" he asked softly. I was so stunned, absorbing this new expression of his that he didn't wait for my response. He stood swiftly from his chair and for the first time I noticed by our proximity that he towered nearly a foot above me. I barely had time to archive this new discovery for later study before he had closed the few feet of space between himself and I, watching me intently the whole way as he did.

"The key," he began still watching me, "Is to hold your hand closer to the blade." His eyes moved down to my hands still barely holding the scalpel. I looked down at them as well. Cautiously his hand reached for mine, the one in which I held the small weapon. Reflexively I flinched away from him.

He looked back towards me, his eyes asking for permission, his face merely inches from my own. My expression quickly gave him the permission he sought, and he looked back down toward our hands. My gaze followed his, and I braced myself for catastrophe. My heart was beating in my ears.

He was deliberate in his approach, as he slowly placed his hand around mine. At the touch of his incredibly soft skin I experienced the most bizarre sensation, as though a humming electric current had suddenly arced between us, lingering warmly under his sustained touch. His eyes flashed inquisitively, yet very briefly to my face before looking back down at our hands, as though perhaps he too felt the electric bond between our flesh. I was certain he could also likely feel my pulse racing through my fingertips as my heart pounded wildly.

"Holding the blade lower gives you greater control –," he continued slowly in his smooth, soothing voice, as he moved our hands over to the cheese block. The strength of his hands was tremendous, and yet he held me as delicately as though I were made of flower petals. His other hand moved toward my forearm, gripping it lightly as he shifted his body closer to me to prepare for his cut on the block. My heart raced faster as I felt the loose front of his shirt against me, leaving such minimal distance between our bodies. His powerful arms guided my hand, and consequently the blade, through the cheese with perfect precision.

"– gives you greater – accuracy," he finished. As we completed the cut, his eyes slowly moved up the length of my arm towards my face, again drawing my gaze towards them and locking my stare in place. His eyes roamed across the features of my face, my cheeks, my forehead, my lips, and I could feel the humming electricity pulsing through the small space between our bodies, warmth moving through our hands. I realized that at some point in the past seconds my breathing had stopped and I inhaled a deep breath through my nose. It was a maddening mistake, as his incredible scent filled my head, musky and woodsy, like damp earth and cedar. It almost smelled like the pine forests of Washington. I simply could not get enough of it, enough of his face, of my pounding heart, of the way his eyes gazed into mine.

He suddenly looked down shaking his head slightly, as though trying to dispel an unpleasant daydream, and released my hand and arm from his grip, and took a step back from me. Shaking his head briefly again he picked up my paper.

"Very good Ms. Swan. That will do." He said, curtly, his voice rough, still staring at my paper, and making no move to look back in my direction. I grabbed the paper the instant he presented it to me, turning abruptly to hand it in to Professor Banner, and proceeded out the back door of the auditorium, glancing briefly over my shoulder to see Edward staring towards the ceiling, his hands covering his face, as if he were gripped with frustration.

Me and Angela walked silently back to our dormitories. She didn't seem to mind that I was incapable of coherent conversation. She had apparently not noticed any of mine and Edward's interaction. I felt that was for the better.

I was more or less absent minded in the group throughout the night, barely noticing Mike's attempts to speak with me more. He seemed disheartened by my lack of interest, something I did feel a certain level of remorse about. Not enough to pull me back to the present, but a certain measure nonetheless. What had happened in class? What was the strange electric energy that moved between us? Had he noticed it as well, or was I simply being a naïve fool for dreaming that he too had felt such a power? I knew nothing of him. Nothing of his life. I knew he couldn't be married, for his finger bore no ring when my hand was in his, but that did not declare him as being available. Nobody who had that measure of charm, grace, and flawless beauty could possibly be available, and sadly even if he were, I was sufficiently doubtful that it would improve my chances of ever gaining audience with him about it. I concluded that it would simply make matters more unbearable if he were single. Nevertheless my curiosity got the better of me that evening after Jessica and I had returned to our room, and at the first possible chance where the conversation would sound natural, I interjected with my questions.

"So – What is Edward's deal?" I asked Jess casually.

"Edward... Edward Cullen?" she asked, puzzled. I supposed it was uncommon for students to refer to him by his first name. I would do well to remember it.

"Yes…" I hesitantly replied. She seemed not to notice my reluctance.

"As far as anyone knows he's totally single, although how a hunk like him could possibly be single I'll never understand. He probably has some secret supermodel girlfriend. Then again, last year in biology he was awfully nice to me. I bet he wanted to ask me out and just couldn't," she rambled. The last part of it caught my ear.

"Couldn't?" I inquired. "Why couldn't he?"

"Well he's a TA," She said like it should be obvious. "He can't date his students. Duh?" she continued rolling her eyes dramatically when my face expressed that it was not obvious what she was saying.

"Then again," she continued, "I'm not his student anymore am I! I hope I run into him at the spirit splash. Oh my god wouldn't it be so great if he finally asked me out?" She practically screamed at me bouncing up and down on her bed with her hands clenched in excited fists.

"Sorry again. The what?" I asked cocking an eyebrow.

"The spirit splash? Really Bella do you live under a rock?" I didn't respond so she continued. "It's this big celebration where there are prize booths and free food, and a gigantic water balloon fight to top it all off! They even let you use super soakers! I can't believe you don't know about it. It's one of Lakefront's biggest traditions. All of the students go! Even the grad students – Like _Edward,"_ her enunciation was like that of a ten year old girl pronouncing the name of her crush.

Still her revelation did get me thinking, and the entire spirit splash event did sound like a good opportunity to meet some new friends, perhaps find others like Angela whom I could surround myself with. That was the part of Jessica's speech the excited me. The other part felt rather devastating at the moment. I almost felt as though something were lodged in my throat. Even if Edward was a single man, and did for some unknown bizarre reason actually find me attractive, he still was not allowed to be with me. I was his student. And he, for all intents and purposes, was my teacher. I would have to find a way to coexist here with Edward, in a manner that didn't permit any of my wildly out of control inclinations for him to present themselves. I didn't want him in trouble, and more pertinent to the situation, I did not want to embarrass myself when he rejected me. It seemed that in the grand design of the universe, his sphere of existence, and my sphere of existence, were two bubbles that did not in any way overlap. And yet, for some unknown reason, they had. As I drifted to sleep that night, I couldn't stop my mind from washing over it time and time again. It seemed to me that even though I likely couldn't see the answer from my vantage point, this was far greater than simply a comical coincidence. For the time I pushed the thought aside and contented to drift away into unconsciousness, feeling the remnant of humming electricity. That was the first night I dreamt of Edward Cullen.


	4. Chapter 4

When I woke on Friday morning, things were noticeably different around the school. It seemed more alive with activity than it had all week, as students and faculty alike anticipated their first weekend of the new semester. My communications professor in particular seemed to eye the clock in a manner she likely thought discrete far more frequently than she probably should have. She ended up releasing our class almost a full fifteen minutes ahead of schedule, sliding out the door almost before the words had left her lips. Obviously something was preoccupying her mind, as Edward had preoccupied mine for the majority of my day. It was beginning to truly impede upon my functionality. It seemed I was always vigilant, keeping an eye out for him around every corner, on every lawn, and even in the dining hall. I was unsure whether I was so alert because it was my desire to see him, or rather if it was simply because I wished to avoid him. I was still unsure of what to take from our last encounter. The bizarre electricity, the way my heart was putty beneath his strong hands, the way he shook his head as if to dispel some unpleasant thought. I was rather confused about all of the pieces of the puzzle, mostly because I felt that my objectivity had been severely compromised by my lustful state of mind. I could no longer trust my own biased intuition.

But my heightened observational state was ultimately irrelevant. Edward never appeared throughout my day, simultaneously to my relief and also to my disappointment. It was almost as if I feared his smile would fade from my memories due to the frequency with which I played it back in my mind. I was wistful that soon I would receive a refresher.

I was so lost in endless reruns of my ambiguous moment with Edward the previous afternoon that I was completely unaware of Jessica's approach from behind.

"Bella! Bella! Bella! Bella! Bella!" She practically shouted at me from behind. I felt almost as though my insides had jumped out of my skin, as I twirled to face her clutching my chest to slow my suddenly rapid heart rate.

"God!" I gasped, "Your shouldn't do that to people," I said gasping for breath.

"Oh, Sorry! But Bella – Bella - Bellaaaa," She lowered her voice to just a whisper by the third time she said my name. Something had her more excited than I had ever seen her previously, which after spending a week with her I had come to believe was impossible. But here before me, was a Jessica so energetic it seemed as though she were about to burst into flames on the spot.

"Jess - Jess - Jessssss," I responded with just a sprinkling of sarcasm. I was unsure of what had her so worked up, but knowing what little I knew about Jessica, I was very unlikely to have the same reaction to it that she was having. Of that much I was fairly certain.

"Bella. I need you to do me a favor." She stopped dead in her tracks awaiting my unconditional agreement. I however, did not intend to allow her to trap me so easily. Whatever it was, it would more than likely be unpleasant.

"… Which is?" I prompted.

"I need you to go dress shopping with me. We're leaving right now," she quickly blurted out grabbing me by the wrist and dragging me forward. I stumbled over my own feet and almost toppling to the sidewalk but Jessica righted me at the last moment.

"Right now? Why?" I blurted out after her. With an exasperated huff she span to face me again, looking practically frantic.

"Tomorrow night is the Kappa Kappa Pi welcome gala and I need something to wear. Something _stunning_ ," She popped her eyes out at me on the word stunning, enunciating it to her fullest. I was correct in my assumptions that this would be unpleasant and my mind quickly grappled for a way out of the situation. I vocalized the first thought that came to mind.

"Wouldn't Angela probably be better at that sort of thing, seeing as how she probably knows what gala you're even talking about when I haven't a clue" I said trying to disguise my pleading as well as I could.

"She can't. She's busy doing something lame. And the –,"

"Something lame? Jess," I said, reprimanding her with my expression, for her nonchalant insult about the person who had been kinder to me in the last week than any other person at Lakefront, including the one standing in front of me.

"Ugh yes," she said, misunderstanding my reprimanding tone as a tone of disappointment in Angela. "She said she had to do something for Audio-Visual club, which is weird seeing as how she's not even _in_ the Audio-Visual Club. Whatever, the point is I don't really care, she can't come," She sputtered out rapidly, rolling her eyes dramatically as she displayed her great disappointment in Angela.

"You have to understand Bella, this gala will make or break my future." She stared intently, "This gala is personally thrown by Alice. She's the queen of Kappa. She's practically the queen of the entire school. She is like the A list celebrity of Lakefront University. If you want to be _anyone_ in this school, you have to be in Kappa. You have to be one of Alice's wing girls, and I want to be _so badly_. And the only way that is going to happen is if I go find an _incredible_ dress, show up looking stunning, and impress Alice. Then she'll make me a Kappa sister! Now don't you want to help me be a Kappa sister Bella?" Jess said, concluding her monologue with the most pitiful puppy dog look I had seen in my brief adult life. I stared at her confused, and bewildered.

"Plus don't worry we'll buy you a dress too!" she said suddenly excited.

"Um – but Jess - I don't need a dress?" I said, worried that I wasn't actually going to have a choice in the matter of my participation. It seemed to me that my fate had already been sealed.

"Duh? Of course you do. You're coming with me silly. We can be sisters together. Now move your _ass_!" she practically shouted grabbing my wrist, and pulling it again.

"Jessica," I half yelped, but it was already far too late I realized. Jessica had never intended to take no for an answer, and this particular endeavor would be significantly less miserable if I put on my fake veil of enthusiasm now before Jessica had a chance to see that I was distinctly unhappy about this situation. She was, after all, one of the only friends I had. I didn't want to alienate her. She pulled me into the cab she had already called, and moments later I found myself being led practically headfirst through the door of Macy's.

The shopping didn't actually turn out nearly as awful as I had presumed it would be. Innumerable options lined every wall of the dress section of the store, but it only took me a few minutes to determine Jessica's taste, which narrowed down our shopping time considerably.

As for my taste – Well - my taste was jeans and sweatshirts – A fact that Jessica found to be practically blasphemous. Ultimately, I figured that what would make her most content would be to simply allow her to pick both of our dresses, and so I decided that I would simply sit back and compliment one thing about every outfit she chose. In this way, she would always believe I was contributing, while in reality I was doing absolutely nothing.

At the end of the day she decided on a beautiful red gown that hung vividly over her shoulders coming to a V in the front, with a long low backline, exposing her smooth skin. Her dress had a long flowing back to it, but in the front split high to better show her slender legs. I had to admit, she looked stunning in it. Jessica discovered early on that the best way to dress shop for me was to simply not show me what any of the dresses looked like on me, but rather to just pull them on and off of me and judge them herself. No matter what I wore, I still found myself to look the essence of mediocrity.

Finally, after an immeasurable amount of wardrobe changes, Jessica backed away from me, grinning contentedly and led me to the mirror. The dress with which I was adorned was deep blue, and hung from one shoulder, which was decorated tastefully in jewels. It fell from my shoulder across my chest and under my other arm. It was long and sleek, extending down to the beautiful crystal studded heels with which Jessica had ornamented my feet. There was a very tasteful slit down the front left hand side of the dress, exposing just a sliver of my legs when I walked, but not showing me off in as ostentatious a manner as Jessica's dress. It was elegant, graceful, and conservative, and admittedly, beautiful. I couldn't help but smile into the mirror.

"You look gorgeous," Jessica added smugly. She knew she was right. Even I couldn't deny my Cinderella-esque transformation. We quickly changed back into our normal clothes, payed for our merchandise, and hopped in a taxi to take us back to our dorm.

The next day, the majority of the morning was spent with either Jessica or myself sitting in a chair in front of the mirror, doing each other the favor of hair and make-up. It was a much more tedious process than I ever could have imagined, and for the most part it was laborious and boring. I found it to be rather dreadful. However, the wondrous thanks that Jessica radiated toward me did present me with a large enough quantity of satisfaction that I deemed all of the effort to be worth something at the very least.

Hours later, I found myself walking with Jessica across campus through the cool twilight breeze towards Kappa house. My dress flowed gracefully through the air. Whoever the girl in the dress was, it certainly didn't look like me when I caught a glimpse of her in any reflective surface. She looked as though she were torn from a story book.

Eventually, we rounded a corner to see a beautiful house adorned in Greek letters. It seemed to have a mixture of neoclassical and modern style architecture, with high columns and tall glass walls. It was the very definition of upscale, and exuded a feeling of sophistication just from standing before it. Jessica stopped suddenly, placing her hands on my arms, looking me square in the face.

"Alright Bella, wish me luck. Well – us luck," she said briefly. I smiled at her, truly wishing the best for her from this night, just as much as I was wishing the night could be over with already.

"Good luck," I whispered as we turned and walked towards the wide open doors. I could already see an innumerable amount of young women inside the grand foyer of the house, dressed in attire such as ours, as well as a rather large quantity of men, dressed in white buttoned up shirts and a variety of colored blazers. The entire ordeal had an edge of sophisticated gracefulness to it, an image that had not been conjured at all when I had envisioned a sorority house.

"Oh my god there she is! It's Alice," Jessica scream whispered towards me, bouncing excitedly and then attempting rather unsuccessfully to gain her composure.

It was obvious immediately which of the girls greeting the guests entering the house was Alice. She was shorter than every other sister present, but her aura lit the room like the moon in the night sky. She was simply the most stunning girl I had ever seen. She was small in stature, thin and fragile looking, but her complexion was unbelievably flawless, complimented perfectly by her short, pixie-like jet black hair. She wore a black dress with a rather large, polygon-esque ruffle on one shoulder which she held with perfect poise. The black fabric was a perfect juxtaposition against the pale white of her skin. She was the epitome of class, reminding me almost of a modern Jackie Kennedy. I was in awe of her immediately, and felt entirely unworthy of her presence.

"Welcome," she said in a soft high pitched voice that had an almost childlike innocence to it. She flashed the most warm and comfortingly stellar smile at us. I understood what Jessica meant. There was no way that she did not own any person in her presence. This was why she was the queen of Lakewood University. Something about her seemed vaguely familiar to me, though it could not for the life of me place what it was. I pushed the thought aside for a future time, and turned back towards the ornate open room before me.

There was a balcony that ran across the far end of the room, with a large staircase leading up to it on the left side. Below the balcony was an ornate room extending to an endless expanse of windows across the back wall, overlooking the lake. The view was incredible. Tables full of champagne lined the right wall of the room, and there seemed to be hors d'oeuvres along the tables on the left-hand wall of the room. In the center of the room, beneath the glistening chandelier sat a beautiful grand piano, which currently someone was utilizing to play a beautifully majestic tune. It was surrounded by a sea of onlookers whom Jessica and I quickly approached. The song ended as we arrived and the small crowd applauded for the player and began to disperse. My heart dropped suddenly to my knees. Behind the keys of the majestic grand piano, in a white button up collared shirt, and in a dazzling black blazer, was none other than the only person in the world possibly more dazzling than even Alice.

He looked up from the piano, smiling as his gaze dashed around the room before unknowingly landing directly upon me. His eyes widened minisculely in a moment of such brevity I could not trust myself that it even existed, and then he flashed a crooked smile in my direction. My pounding heart was frozen.

"Hey Jess, I'm not feeling so well," I began to murmur. "I think I'm going to –"

"Oh my god Edward Cullen is coming over here!" Jessica whispered, although if she hadn't been whispering she likely would have shrieked. "Be cool, Be chill," she whispered vigorously. I doubted Jessica was capable of being "Chill". He was upon us before I had fully regained my composure.

"Ladies," he began in his cool, smooth voice, nodding his head in our direction. His eyes locked onto my face ensnaring me in his inescapable gaze. I was but putty in the hands of an artist.

"My, don't you look stunning this evening," he said his eyes raking their way down the silhouette of my dress. It seemed to me that they paused a moment on the narrow slit exposing a small tease of my legs before dancing back upwards to my slanted neckline and finally my eyes.

"Thanks, I just threw this together at the last minute," Jessica said, twirling a piece of her hair between her fingers. His eyes never left mine as he grinned at me, as though I was missing some sort of inside joke. I cocked an eyebrow at him, and his grin parted slightly revealing his gleamingly white teeth. Suddenly a thought occurred to me and spilled out of me before I could ask myself if it was a wise question to ask.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him. I instantly realized the answer to my question should have been obvious. If Alice was the queen of Lakefront, and this house was a house for royalty so to speak, then it was impossible for a man such as Edward to not automatically be an inclusive part of that royalty. There was absolutely no denying his effortless magnetism. What a ridiculous question for me to ask, and yet he surprised me by chuckling softly.

"What? A man can't be a part of a sorority?" He asked my jovially. I cocked an eyebrow at him as he beamed an uncharacteristically silly face at me, causing my composure to crack into a chuckling smile. He seemed pleased with himself at this.

"I could ask you the same question," he continued, raising an eyebrow of skepticism at me. His intuition was nothing if not exceptional. Anyone observant could tell this was the last sort of place I would ever willingly want to be, and Edward was nothing if not observant.

"Oh –," I stuttered out. "I'm just here for Jessica. She really wants to be a part of the sorority here, so – I guess I'm just sort of here for support." I smiled at her gently. She didn't notice. She was busy staring at Edward's flawless face. "I suppose though that since you're in the sorority you could show her around," I said, chuckling at the joke he had started.

"Actually, just between you and me," he said in a softer tone, leaning in slightly, "I'm here for the same reason you are. Only, I'm here to support my sister Alice. She runs this sorority house." Understanding struck me like a bolt of lightning. The sense of familiarity that Alice's uncanny beauty had presented to me before. It seemed so intrinsically obvious to me in that moment. It was her eyes. She had the same beautiful golden eyes, and impeccably flawless marble carved skin as her brother. Of course Alice was Edward's sister. It would be an impossible coincidence for two such people to exist in the same place otherwise.

"Wait Alice is your sister!?" Jessica practically yelped. I could see her fragile façade of calm quickly crumbling away at the mention of the woman she so obviously idolized. Edward let out a low chuckle at her reaction. The widening grin of his perfect lips seemed to calm her, or perhaps more accurately, stun her.

"She is last time I checked," he chuckled. "Would you like an introduction?" He asked Jessica, winking at me. He seemed to have discovered her inner thoughts as easily as he had interpreted mine, and seemed now determined to amuse me with them, and I supposed himself as well. Jessica was unable to phrase a coherent response as Edward gestured for Alice to join them. Her walk was so unbelievably graceful it almost appeared she was gliding over the floor.

"Alice, this is Jessica," he said, gesturing towards the girl who was almost visibly vibrating from excitement, "a prospective future Kappa." Alice smiled warmly at her, gracefully taking Jessica's hand.

"Hi there Jessica. How are you this evening?" She asked in a musical voice, its beauty reminiscent of her brothers.

"FINE," Jessica practically squawked from excitement. I momentarily worried that she may be having a stroke, and Edward could barely contain the snicker that was attempting to escape from his lips. Once he had collected himself thoroughly, he continued.

"And this is Bella," he said. It sent a small wave of energy through my body, the way his voice caressed my name. His eyes gleamed at me, as did Alice's which seemed filled with excitement. Almost, dare I say, wonderment, although I hadn't the slightest clue why.

"Oh Bella, it's wonderful to finally meet you!" she said. She stepped forward wrapping her arms gracefully around me in a warm embrace. I was surprised to say the least. Edward looked at her as though he believed she had lost control of her faculties. But then I thought over what she had said. Finally meet me? What did she mean, finally meet me. Before I had a chance to ask however, Jessica began bombarding her with questions about Kappa house, and Alice, placing her arm around Jessica's shoulder, began guiding her towards the lavish staircase, leaving Edward and myself alone in the crowd. Edward grinned watching them retreat, before his face turned serious, returning to face me.

"Would you care for a drink," He asked courteously. Me? He wanted to get me a drink? My thoughts became momentarily befuddled. What was going on in this house? It seemed I was beyond coherency so I spoke the first sentence that I could form.

"I can't." I said. He gave me a sincerely puzzled look. "I'm not allowed to drink. I'm under age remember?" I almost sighed at the thought. The most gorgeous man on earth asks to acquire me a beverage and I foolishly refuse him. A modern day fairytale indeed. He however, simply smiled at me wickedly.

"This is a party. That fact is irrelevant here." He stated matter-of-factly.

"As a faculty member, wouldn't it behoove you not to encourage underage drinking?"I asked, yet again resisting his offer. I didn't think it possible for me to be any more foolish if I had intentionally tried.

"Ah but see that's where you're mistaken," he replied looking almost mischievous. "I'm not technically a member of the faculty. I'm just a student, the same as you are," He said, his voice seeming to lose focus on the last bit of his sentence, his eyes drifted back down to my neckline. I hoped he couldn't see my goosebumps.

"That color does look truly stunning on you." He said, his eyes darting between my face, and my dress, a smile flirting on the edges of his lips. My stomach erupted in a swarm of butterflies beneath the weight of his complimentary gaze, or at least, what I perceived as a complimentary gaze, as I remembered I could no longer trust my own judgement. With a swift, lithe movement, and not taking his eyes off of me for one moment, he grabbed two flutes of champagne from the tray of the server walking past, and held one out for me. I couldn't help but think of the reproach I would receive from my father Charlie if he knew I was even considering underage drinking. I quickly pushed the thought from my mind.

"For the lady," he said with a small bow, offering me the flute of bubbling liquid. I accepted it from him, curtseying clumsily in return, almost rolling my ankle due to the instability of my shoe. His hand shot out as if to catch me, but when I recovered on my own he quickly pulled it back as if to hide the gesture.

"So are you excited for the spirit splash," he asked me. It seemed almost a diversionary tactic to make me forget his chivalrous half attempt at catching me.

"Well – If I'm being entirely honest with you – It's possible that I wasn't even aware that the spirit splash existed until a few days ago," I admitted shyly.

"Really? It's a tradition?" He said as though what I had said was absolutely absurd. "Really Bella, you should work on being more cultured," he said with a quick chuckle. I rolled my eyes at him.

"I'll be sure to make that my top priority," He chuckled again at my sarcasm. But then he was serious again, hesitant even.

"So - ," He paused as though unsure whether or not he wanted to complete his thought, "Am I to presume that you'll be in attendance?" His eyes darted towards the ground momentarily before locking into mine. I realized that subconsciously we had moved closer to one another, and I could once again feel a semblance of electricity humming in the few inches of space that separated our bodies.

"You'd presume correctly," I practically whispered. He smiled ever so slightly, his eyes burning with intensity.

"Well then," he replied softly, his voice as well almost a whisper, "I suppose I'll see you then." He slowly extended both of his arms toward me, in a motion that I was certain was about to become an embrace, as Alice had given me earlier. When his body was but half an inch away however, he suddenly shook his head as he had a few days prior, and took a step back, looking around the room with uncertainty, and cleared his voice, dropping his arms quickly to his sides. He extended a hand cautiously, yet courteously, intending for me to shake it. I paused for a moment, my mind attempting to process his unusual behavior, before placing my hand in his. His grip was firm and powerful, and yet as before, contoured to me in such a way that he could have been handling the most delicate glass. Even in this professional and platonic gesture, I could feel a sort of heated energy flowing from his hand into mine. It was the most bizarre and pleasurable burn I had ever experienced. Then, as quickly as it began, he retracted his hand. His eyes were alight with some unfathomable expression.

"Goodnight Bella," he said with a quick nod, his voice husky, as he turned abruptly and left me with nothing but space in front of me, and a half-finished drink in my hand.

"Goodnight Edward" I whispered into the crowd. I could still feel the ghost of his hand in the space where it had been moments ago, the strange heat lingering on my fingertips. Looking down, there was nothing. There was obviously nothing. And there would never be anything. There wasn't allowed to be anything. And yet still, I suddenly felt sure that there was nothing in the world I desired greater than for there to be something. I felt the remnants of the ghostly heat on my hand, felt its remains inside of me, so tangible, and yet I was certain that it was nothing but a figment of my own creation.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Alice Cullen gracefully approach me. So lithe was her walk that it practically passed for choreographed dance. She smirked at me playfully, her golden eyes twinkling as Edward's did.

"So skittish that one," she said so offhandedly that I was unsure whether or not the comment was even meant for my ears, as she continued straight past me towards the champagne station.

"What do you mean?" I asked after her. She turned to face me still walking backwards away from me in a move so graceful it might as well have been a ballerina's spin.

"Bella, you don't become the queen of Lakefront by giving away all of your secrets, now do you?" she responded, her smooth voice teasing me playfully, a smug grin planted firmly on her face. No. She was quite correct. You didn't become the best by divulging your secrets to people you didn't know. I also felt as though that wasn't the only qualification to becoming the so called queen of Lakefront University. I felt like the first prerequisite for that job, was to be as impossibly charismatic as apparently only a Cullen could be.

I caught up with Jessica that evening as I left the gala to return to the dormitory. She seemed to be glowing radiantly, as though the lights of the gala had been exactly the relaxation she needed. I had to admit I hadn't had such a terrible time myself, though I doubted that had much to do with the gala, and more to do with the bewitching company. It was obvious by Jessica's beaming that she wanted me to ask her about everything that had happened to her that night. I decided that in some way, shape, or form, Jessica would eventually broach the subject herself, and so I reluctantly decided to open the figurative can of worms so that at least I could prepare myself for the informational onslaught of it.

"So how was your talk with Alice?" I asked. I thought it a simple enough way to start. It turned out to be more akin to opening Pandora's Box.

"Oh my god! So amazing! She is just absolutely incredible! Did you know that she personally oversaw every single decoration, appetizer, and drink that was served at the gala! And that she also…" I was certain that had Alice been present to hear all of Jessica's impassioned speech, not only about herself, but about Kappa house in general, she would have been flattered. Perhaps she would have been impressed. I also felt there was a distinct possibility she would have been slightly disturbed simply by Jessica's nearly overwhelming enthusiasm. But that, as I firmly knew, was just who Jessica was.

"… had the dress custom made just for the event. Isn't that spectacular! I couldn't believe it when she told me! Can you believe it Bella!" she practically shrieked my name as she concluded her recounting of the nights discussions.

"That sounds – really incredible Jess," I said, mustering up as much enthusiasm as I could. As it was, even my greatest attempt at artificial enthusiasm could likely not approach Jessica even at her mellowest moments. But as long as she felt appreciated, she seemed content, and she seemed to have accepted that artificial enthusiasm was my way of trying to appease her, and that appeared to be enough for her.

"I know," she said smiling. Suddenly her eyes were upon me, her glare becoming suspicious. "So…" Uh oh.

"So…." I repeated back at her, unsure of where our conversation was about to go, but if my intuition was correct, I had the distinct feeling it was going to be uncharacteristically unpleasant.

"What did you and _Edward_ talk about tonight," She said, leering at me. Her words certainly seemed like innocent teasing on the surface, but I could detect a hint of deep seated jealousy in them. I wasn't sure why, but I felt perturbed by it.

"Not much honestly," I replied hoping she would drop the topic quickly. But Jessica would not be so easily deterred. I should have known better than to try.

"Uh huh. Sure. Whatever you say Bella," She said, her left eyebrow soaring in skepticism.

"Really. He got me a drink and asked me about the Spirit Splash and then he left. That was…"

"He got you a drink?" Her eyes practically popped from head.

"Um – Yeah," I said fighting the edges of my mouth to keep them from pulling up into a smile. "Why does it matter?" I asked.

"What was that?" Jessica asked suspiciously.

"What was what?"

"You were smiling," She stated matter of factly. Perhaps I was easier to read than I had previously presumed.

"Um – No. I most definitely was doing nothing of the sort," I said.

"Oh my god. Oh my god, I can't believe it. You like him."

"No I…"

"I mean not that I blame you. Look at him. He's _gorgeous_. But Bella, how long were you going to wait to tell me that you two are…"

"We aren't Jessica. Seriously!" I said, frustration on the edge of my voice. "I mean, sure, I think he's very handsome…"

"Sure handsome," Jessica mumbled under her breath.

"And he seems nice enough, but he is entirely beyond the farthest realm of being in my league." I finished. Jessica said nothing, and suddenly her look became filled with what appeared to be sorrow.

"I'm so sorry," Jessica said, placing her hand on my shoulder. "This is just what he does to girls like you and I. He flirts with us and lures us in, just because he enjoys the thrill of the chase, and then once it's obvious that he has us ensnared in his charm, he leaves us out like a penny in the rain." She looked at me dramatically. "It's ok Bella. We're only human," she said, concluding her nonsensical rant. I knew that I couldn't trust myself when it came to Edward, but it certainly didn't appear to me that he was simply using me for some sort of cruel entertainment. I felt entirely unsure of what to think in the moment. What had it meant when he had fled from me? What secrets did Alice know that she was keeping from me? What had she meant when she had referred to Edward as skittish? I remembered as well that earlier in the evening she had told me that she was happy to finally meet me, as though she were expecting some sort of meeting, even though it had occurred to me that until hours prior, I had certainly had no idea who she was. Why was she expecting to meet me? As I lay on my mattress that evening, my sleep clouded mind offered me only two solutions. To wait for things to play out the way they would, and upon that draw my own conclusions, or to confront either Edward or Alice and directly request the answers I sought, which to me seemed foolish. Inches from sleep it came to me that perhaps there was another option for me in this dilemma, a much better, albeit riskier solution. A much simpler solution. I could choose to trust him.


	5. Chapter 5

On the morning of the spirit splash I had the sudden realization that there was an integral key to the entire event which, up to this point, I had entirely neglected to inquire about.

"Um – Jessica," I asked hesitantly.

"Yeah Bella?" She called from the shower. Why she had felt the necessity to wash her hair moments before she was about to get completely drenched was a mystery for which I had no answer, although I suspected that Kappa and Alice Cullen may have played a key role in her heavy investment in her appearance.

"What exactly am I supposed to wear?" I called back at her.

I couldn't believe my own ignorance. Why had something this monumentally important not dawned on me much sooner? Of course I would be expected to wear a bathing suit, but I despised nothing more than the way my body looked in a bikini. Despite my thin frame, I found my pale skin and lack of athletic physique to be unpleasant. And now I would be inevitably asked to present myself before our entire school in nothing but a bikini. I shuddered at the thought. I was quite unsure of how this day could be any more unpleasant, before I suddenly recalled that there was indeed a reason it could be even more unpleasant. Edward was going to be there. His presence always seemed to complicate matters, and at the very thought of him I was quickly overwhelmed by fear. Fear of the revulsion that he would express upon seeing my pallid coloration so entirely revealed. This was indeed, destined to be dreadful.

"Cloths. Duh." Jessica replied from the shower. I scoffed at the irony of the situation. The first time Jessica had ever neglected elaborating on every detail was the single occurrence where I would have appreciated it.

"What type of cloths?" I prompted her.

"Normal ones." She responded, her voice reverberating. I found her response perplexing.

"Don't need to wear a bathing suit?" I asked, my eyebrow raised.

"I mean you should wear a bikini top instead of a bra under your cloths," Jessica replied walking back into our bedroom wrapped in a towel, "But other than that no. The entire point of the spirit splash is that you are supposed to go into the water balloon fight dressed in normal clothes. That's what makes it so awesome!" She said excitedly.

Instantaneous relief; that was all that coursed through me. It was still not ideal being seen looking sloppy, wet, and disheveled, but at the very least I would be fully clothed. Perhaps I could get through this day after all.

I wrapped my hair up into a ponytail, and threw on the first outfit I found in my closet: black shorts and a red t-shirt. After a brief moment of hesitation and self-loathing at the pathetic nature of what I was about to do, I swapped the red shirt for a blue spaghetti strap tank top. I recalled Edward commenting that he found me stunning in a similar shade of blue. I felt laughably pitiful at the lengths to which I was taking my actions. Jessica rounded the corner pulling me from my self-deprecating thoughts, dressed in a white skin-tight shirt and short shorts.

"Er – Jessica," I said, glancing at her questioningly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you really think that white is the best color choice for an event called spirit _splash_?" I asked, concern apparent in my expression.

"Oh Bella. Sweet, naïve, innocent Bella," she said, dramatically laying her hand on my shoulder, "White is _exactly_ the right color choice for spirit splash." Clearly Jessica and I had different ideas about what the definition of a good choice was. It was also blatantly obvious to me that we had incredibly different motives. I decided however, that it was not my place to judge her intentions. I conceded to let her make her own choices.

The vast lawn in the center of campus had been transformed overnight into a veritable street fair of sorts, complete with plentiful helpings of complimentary food samples, raffles, and prize games. Within the first few minutes Jessica had already won herself a new makeup bag, an accomplishment that she seemed to be incredibly proud of for some inexplicable reason considering that all she had done was spin an oversized plastic wheel. Then again, Jessica was always excited as long as she had an audience to cater to.

We found Angela shortly thereafter at the snow cone stand, sporting a cone of brilliant red and orange. As always, I was more than happy to have Angela's companionship, especially during such a hectic and crowded spectacle as was currently surrounding me. To me, she acted as an anchor in the chaos, her warm reassuring smile at times gave me the strength to endure Jessica's wild impulses. It was a much more balanced scenario.

We found ourselves wandering amongst the many vendor stalls for what seemed an immeasurable amount of time. A bracelet vendor in particular had caught my eye and I had moved in close to inspect them as Jess and Angela played a game where they had to knock down some bottles with a ball. I didn't particularly have it in me to tell them that the ball they were using was too light to dislodge the heavy glass bottles, although I did have the suspicion that Angela was aware of that fact and simply allowed the game to continue because she knew it would appease Jessica. That was exactly the sort of kind and selfless act that I would expect of Angela. A slight smile had crept over my expression, when my reverie was interrupted by a familiar voice coming from behind me.

"Ladies! How are we doin'?" Mike said in a rather unflatteringly cocky voice.

"Hey Mike," I replied to him trying my best not to sigh as I turned to face him.

"You look hot today Bella." He replied, cocking his head to one side as his line of sight aligned with the exposed skin of my upper chest. I attempted to suppress the eye roll that was forcing its way to the surface and failed almost instantly to hold it back.

"Thanks Mike. That's so thoughtful of you," I said, my irritation barely disguised by my sarcasm.

"Gross," Angela muttered under her breath and Jessica audibly laughed at her comment.

"So where are your bikinis?" Mike asked, his gaze now fixed on Jessica tracing lines up and down the curves of her body which were so readily visible in her rather skimpy attire. I found his disrespect in this instant to be almost borderline intolerable, but effectively managed to bite my tongue.

"We're not supposed to wear bikinis Mike. The whole point is that you're supposed to have the fight in normal clothes," Jessica said rolling her eyes at him aggressively, "That's what makes it fun," she finished with a note of intensity which seemed to momentarily cause Mike to rethink his confident approach. It seemed by his expression that this scenario was not progressing in nearly the direction he had oafishly believed it would.

"Speaking of which," Jessica said her attitude suddenly turning cheery, "It's time to lock and load girls," She said to Angela and myself. "Oh, and - Mike too I guess." She added, clearly playing with his newly fragile mental state. I did have to admit, Jessica did seem very adept at keeping Mike under control, a task in which I had no interest whatsoever.

Passing the remainder of the booths, I discovered that half of the expansive lawn had been kept vacant. Massive green containers filled with water balloons, and an arsenal of water guns of every imaginable shape and size lined the back side of the field. Most of the other students were joining us now to retrieve their ammunition of choice from the back of the field. There also appeared to be approximately twenty or thirty specially nozzled hoses laying at various distances in between the containers that appeared to be designated for refilling your weapon once you ran low on ammunition. I had to admit to Jessica that overall the setup was rather impressive. I immediately grabbed a bag and began to fill it with water balloons. I couldn't help but imagine the good it would do Jessica to have a water balloon splashed down over her head. In my book it certainly would make up for the countless hours of her overzealous enthusiasm that I had thus far endured, and so I made it my first strategic goal to soak Jessica to the bone with a well-aimed toss the moment the horn allowed us to begin.

I next moved to the water gun station after collecting well over a dozen balloons in my bag, and selected a squirt gun of modest size, something I felt would be more maneuverable. Mike on the other hand, had found what seemed to be the largest water cannon of anyone on campus. Based on the devious look in his eye, he appeared to have some sort of battle strategy. Mike was sure to be a dangerous foe in this watery war.

"Is that really all you're going to get Bella?" Jessica asked with a scoff at the size of my modest aquatic firearm. I turned to face her, revealing my bag full of water balloon ammunition. Her eyes widened a tad.

"Of course not. I just prefer grenades," I responded with a wink. Angela chuckled at my lighthearted playfulness. I had to admit it was something I did not partake in often, but seeing as how this event only occurred once per year, I figured it a fitting enough occasion to let loose to a certain degree. Jessica quickly attempted to disguise her look of horror at my arsenal with an unconvincing expression of nonchalance.

"Sure whatever," she said turning away from me, even though it was obvious to me that she would be keeping a watchful eye on my location. I liked that thought. It meant she viewed me as a threat. I chuckled in spite of myself. It was preposterous to think of myself as a threat to anyone.

My laughter was abruptly cut short by the large, firm hand which landed gently on my shoulder from behind. I didn't have to glance over my shoulder. I needed no greeting. I knew solely from the humming current emanating from that hand to whom it belonged.

"Hey you," said the silken voice. I looked over my shoulder deliberately, attempting to control my every action so as not to betray the suddenly frantic pounding of my heart, and gradually turned my body around to face him. The smile with which he greeted me washed over me with the force of a colossal waterfall, sweeping me from my foundation and carrying me to a place of anxious bliss that I had seldom previously imagined possible. For me, it was a place riddled with guilt. I did not deserve it.

"How have you been?" I asked him, but before he had a chance to answer his arms extended outward from his body hesitantly, offering themselves onto me for an embrace as he had once before. This time however, he did not waver. I hesitated ever so momentarily, wanting desperately to proceed into his flawless, powerful arms, but simultaneously fearing my vulnerability, fearing that the more I allowed myself of him, the more it would hurt when he inevitable rejected my advance. But I could not resist the jovial smile that he wore on his face. I leaned slightly in his direction and he took a step towards me. As he closed the distance I noticed that despite his overwhelming smile, his eyes seemed to be a battleground between caution and intensity. I wasn't immediately sure what to think of it, but before I had a chance to investigate further it was swept from my mind most expertly by him as his right arm moved its way around my shoulders, his other arm wrapping its way around the small of my back, although he deliberately seemed to keep a small space between our bodies. His embrace was incredibly gentle, and yet I was aware of the overwhelming power that his body must be capable of. I was flooded with the incredible scent of pine, cedar, and warm musky earth that he carried with him, as potent as though it were an illicit substance. There in his embrace, my heart raced. It took a distinguished effort to keep my breathing even, as a feeling of energy seemed to emanate from him potent enough that it could likely power the entire city. I put it to my mind to memorize the solid feeling of his forearm across my shoulders, of his open palm lightly pressed into the small of my back, of my open hands pulling ever so lightly against the sturdy musculature of his back. I yearned to close the last inch or so of distance between our bodies, to allow the powerful force to flow freely through us.

The actual embrace must have been under a second in length, but the soaring heights to which it brought me felt as though it had lasted for a number of minutes. When he pulled away from me the look of caution that had previously inhabited his eyes seemed to dissipate. All that remained was the intensity of his shimmering golden gaze, and something else that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Contentment, perhaps.

"I've been rather well." He replied courteously, "How about yourself?"

"I haven't been so bad," I replied, shocked that I was able to still speak at all after being in such close proximity with him. I smiled widely at him. The brilliance of his returning smile made Angela audibly gasp behind him.

"I have to say this looks very impressive," I admitted to him, glancing around again at the massive field teaming with hundreds, perhaps even thousands of students readying themselves for the watery war. His eyes landed on the arsenal of water balloons in the bag on my hip.

"I would argue that you are the one who looks – Impressive," on the last word he smirked slightly, as though remembering some joke from a previous time. I meant to press him about it, figuring I could allow myself that as a starting point for explanation, but my train of thought was cut short by Jessica, whom had apparently decided that her lurking-from-a-distance strategy was not going to earn her any time with Edward.

"Hey Edward," she said cheerfully, walking briskly up to him before extending her arms and wrapping them around the entirety of Edwards torso. His expression of shock and bewilderment should have been amusing to me, but interestingly I felt no amusement. I felt something far more bizarre. The echoing ghost of his touch on my back seemed to burn, the powerful energy inside of me that he had transferred into my body seemed to glow hot like a torch, rising up through me to my cheeks. I was livid, and yet, I had absolutely no logical explanation as to why I should be livid. Yet, as I watched Jessica rub her hands up Edward's back, despite his clear lack of consent, I couldn't help but feel the internal fire consume me from within. It was in that moment that I realized distinctly that I was not angry at all. I was jealous. I was jealous that Jessica was touching him. That Jessica was in such close proximity to him. That her body was fully flushed and pressed against his, something that I was only able to imagine. That her face caressed the fabric of the purple V- necked t-shirt that so perfectly contoured to his chest. I wanted what she currently had, but I resolved that I would not force it from him as she was. With one more expression of clear discomfort at the violation of his personal space, he managed to step free of Jessica's embrace.

"Hello there Jessica," He still said, still managing an incredible amount of friendliness, though his eyes betrayed his annoyance at the current situation. It suddenly struck me that in no point in our interaction had I ever received that reaction from him. What if it was indeed possible that perhaps – but no I couldn't possibly think it. It would do nothing but make it more difficult for me when his inevitable rejection of me finally occurred. Yet I couldn't shake the distinct possibility that perhaps he preferred me over Jessica. I very much liked that thought, far more than I should any thought at the expense of my friend. I still reached the conclusion, however, that at this point in the day Jessica's actions had earned her at least one water balloon strike in the coming battle. That was only fair, I surmised.

I was pulled from my thoughts by what seemed but a wisp of black hair moving gracefully through the crowd. Seemingly out of nowhere, Alice appeared at her brothers side, and not surprisingly in the least, she managed to make what were clearly intended as yoga pants and a jogging shirt look as though they had been molded to fit her perfectly in every way. It wouldn't surprise me at all if she simply woke in the morning looking exactly that flawless.

"Hello Edward," she said courteously. He nodded in her direction.

"Bella," she smiled brightly.

"Hi Alice," I replied.

"That color looks incredible on you," She said staring at my tank top, "Don't you think Edward?" My cheeks burned with heat as the inevitable flash of crimson surely crept over my face. Edward seemed to notice, but said nothing about it. Only the smallest twitch of a smile betrayed him.

"Oh and how lovely to see you again Jessica. Actually I was hoping to run into you. Can we talk for minute?" She asked. Jessica didn't see the wink that Alice directed at Edward, or the appreciative smile that he returned to her.

"Oh my god! Of course," Jessica replied. This was as perfect a scenario as I could have created myself. Jessica would be thoroughly distracted when I launched my attack.

A few moments later, a horn blared loudly across the field. Then all manner of chaos erupted across the expansive lawn. I hurled my first balloon at the heavily distracted and confused Jessica the moment the horn had gone off. She turned towards me just in time for the balloon to collide with her exposed face, blasting water clear down her front, little flecks of latex clinging to her cheeks. Angela immediately erupted with laughter as Jessica swore angrily. I could have sworn I heard Alice and Edward both let out a small chuckle in almost perfect unison. My mission had been accomplished, and now there would be hell to pay for it.

Jessica began charging after me like a guerilla fighter on a mission for blood. With her super soaker armed she released a vengeful torrent of liquid, soaking my back rather thoroughly. I couldn't help but release a gleeful laugh as I ran, almost stumbling several times in the process, and a few moments later I heard Jessica join me in the infectious laughter. Angela had begun to join in too until another student tripped sending all of his water balloons pummeling directly into her, soaking her completely. At the sight of her clearly upset face, Jessica and I exploded in even more uproarious laughter. Even though I knew it was the wrong thing to do, I couldn't seem to help myself as I threw one last water balloon at the already drenched Angela, causing her to join our uproar of laughter. I suddenly heard a loud sloshing noise behind me and spun quickly to see that in my distraction Jessica attempted a sneak attack. Edward had expertly deflected her with a water balloon, only to be ambushed himself from behind by Alice, yielding a super soaker nearly the size of her entire body. I was momentarily distracted by the way the soaked, deep purple fabric of his shirt clung to the muscular tendons of his back. After a moment of watching the siblings fight, I turned to attempt to locate the likely sleuthing Jessica, who would be in search of revenge.

It happened rather unexpectedly. As I turned, I suddenly found myself quite unable to see. A stream of water was being directed into my eyes. I tried to block the torrent with an outstretched hand, but I couldn't seem to ascertain the direction of its origin. I tried to shout, to ask the person to stop, but the water rushed into my mouth, causing me to begin coughing violently. My eyes burned from the constant spewing of water, and the coughing caused me to lose my footing, and I found myself sitting on the ground. I heard a maniacal laughing, a laughter which sounded familiar, but surprisingly, male. I could no longer breath as the water continuously attempted to pour into my mouth, and my lungs felt as though they were about to burst. As suddenly as it had started, the horrifying stream of water ceased. I found myself gasping for air frantically. I rubbed my hands quickly across my eyes to see Mike, standing with his water cannon down by his side, looking completely shocked. A moment later three water balloons exploded across his body simultaneously with sufficient force to send him toppling backwards to the ground. I turned quickly in the direction from which the balloons had been thrown to find Edward already approaching me.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his eyes ablaze with intensity. I was momentarily overwhelmed by them, but managed to clear my head enough to respond.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied. He looked at me skeptically.

"Are you sure?" he replied. As quickly as I could I pulled a water balloon from my bag and sent it hurtling through the air, striking him square in his chest.

"I'm sure," I responded with a coy smile, as he looked at me smiling bewilderingly, clearly stunned by my unexpected stunt. The innocence of his expression hit me yet again with a power I was as of yet unaccustomed too. His bronze hair was soaked through with water which dripped from the tips like a model in a hair product commercial, running in wet streaks over his flawless face. Where I had struck him, the now drenched purple fabric of his shirt clung to the exquisite musculature of his chest and stomach, revealing them in ways I had never seen before. He was in every sense a perfectly carved statue. I did not deserve to stand in the presence of a man such as this, nor should I have been allowed to accept the gift of his embrace. What was I, a peasant next to a king, and the feeling that struck me left me feeling inexplicably empty. I quickly shook the thought from my head, returning to the battle.

I gladly accepted Edward's help as my backup, as he seemed capable of momentarily dazing people before delivering precise blows. It was an effective strategy, one that seemed to be performing well as I dove into the deepest, most tumultuous part of the fray. I had almost managed to soak the last remaining dry spot on Jessica's cloths, when, with absolutely no warning, a sharp blow accompanied with a loud cracking noise, struck me directly in the forehead.

A sharp explosion of heated pressure radiated through my head, sending aftershocks throughout my skull. The moment the blow struck me I seemed to lose my eyesight for a brief moment, my knees gave way beneath me and I suddenly found myself surrounded by the gentle embrace of the grass and mud. I couldn't even feel my impact with the ground through the shooting bolts of fire that emanated from my face. My hand shot almost immediately to my forehead, pressing hard into myself and willing the piercing pain into submission, although it seemed to help little.

"Bella!" I heard Edward shout from somewhere nearby. I could hear a mass of chaotic concern from others nearby, including Jessica and Angela, both of whom appeared to be frozen in horrified shock. I opened my eyes slightly.

To my left, Mike simply kept repeating, "Oh my god Bella! I'm so sorry," on an endless loop, a panicked expression consuming his face, but I was unable to tell how badly his hysteria had set in, for the rest of the world had been blocked by the glorious face that hovered over me, obscuring all else.

"Bella? Bella are you alright," Edward asked. The concern which distorted his face was barely visible to me through the streaks and rays of light that were dancing through my blurred vision. The heat moved across my eyes, and a humming squeal was ringing in my ears.

"Bella please? Are you alright?" he implored. I didn't like the way the concern distorted his features. I wished for him to be happy again. I focused against the fire, trying my best to push back its advance, to contain it to only one small area so as not to be overwhelmed. I would control myself.

"Yea - I think I'm fine. My head just hurts a lot," I lied as nonchalantly as possible. He didn't seem convinced, and the piercing pain in my head had not subsided despite the pressure I placed on it, although it was beginning to transform from a fiery crucible into a more constant throbbing of pressure.

"Bella, can I take a look at your forehead," he asked, his eyes gazing into mine with a compassion I had never seen in them before. It would have affected me more powerfully had it not been so incredibly tasking to control the pain.

"I told you I'm fine," I mumbled, but my sentence was unexpectedly cut short by Angela's loud gasp. Edwards eyes widened, his concern growing more immediate.

"Bella, are you able to move your hand. It's very important that I inspect your head immediately," he instructed in a calm smooth voice, though the ever deepening crease in his brow betrayed that he was not in any way as collected as he externally appeared. Concern suddenly began to run through my own mind. Was I actually injured?

"Why?" I asked but he quickly shot me an imploring look as my own panic began to increase.

"Bella, please?"

I removed my hand from my forehead slowly, little stars still scattered around my field of view. I heard additional gasping from those who had surrounded me, and Edward's eyes widened a fraction more. My hand was completely doused in a thick crimson liquid that began to run viscously down my fingers, dripping off the tips of them onto my chest. I fought back at the powerful waves of nausea and panic that crashed down upon me.

"You have to get her to Carlisle. Can she walk?" I heard a light musical voice that could only have been Alice's ask.

"It doesn't matter, there's no time," Edward responded. Before I could even begin to inquire what that meant, I felt something powerful pushing its way between my back and the wet mud of the lawn.

"Hold on to me," he said softly, and seemingly with almost no effort he lifted my body off the ground, carrying me in his arms as though I were a small child and not a fully grown adult. Had this motion not increased my nausea dramatically I would have been inevitably been impressed by his strength.

He began to walk me briskly across campus. My mind was spiraling more rapidly towards a complete loss of control, as the reactions of bystanders to my injuries led me to believe that I was likely unaware of the extent of their severity. I felt a terror begin to grip at my stomach in an iron vice. Edward seemed to notice the devolving state of my mental faculties, and his expression turned to one of reassurance.

"You're going to be alright," he said softly, "Carlisle will fix you right up." He smiled warmly down upon me.

"I know," I whispered, only half certain that it was true, for the visceral reaction of those around me, combined with the almost blinding pain I had experienced led me to believe this to be far more than a simplistic injury. Still, it was difficulty to devolve into a full blown state of panic with Edward's reassurances. And whomever this Carlisle was, Edward seemed certain that he would be able to take care of me. Trust, I remembered. I must trust him, even if it hurt I decided. It already did hurt. I was certain of that, although my vision seemed to be returning. Everything was going to turn out alright. Everything. If only that were as easy to believe as it was to think.


	6. Chapter 6

I recognized the stonework of the medical building from my periphery as we approached it, for once its soaring grey face providing me with a sense of serenity as opposed to tumultuous anxiety. Typically it signaled my approach to biology class, a course that's complexity had vastly increased due to Edward's presence. But on this day I was not headed to biology class, and Edward's presence added no additional complexity. Instead, in the iron strength of his arms, he delivered me to what seemed to be the only chance that I had at salvation.

I attempted to focus on the high, illuminated arches that ornamented the ceiling of the vast entry hall in an effort to distract myself from the trickle of blood that I could feel oozing slowly into my hairline. The pain had now subsided to a dull throbbing akin to the banging of a drum within my head; uncomfortable, but significantly more bearable than it had been previously. If allowed, I could more than likely walk at this point, and the distance we had covered seemed so vast that certainly Edward must have begun feeling fatigued. But upon further inspection, that appeared not to be the case. His breathing was even and slow. His arms, though flexed and impressive in circumference, did not appear strained, and there was no sweat across his brow. Still, I thought it polite to offer to provide my own mobility. His chivalry was already making a lasting impact on me. There was no need for me to take advantage of it.

"Hey - um – I think I can walk now," I offered. He glanced down at me, an eyebrow raised, his face pointedly marked by skepticism. A low chuckle hummed in his throat, and he smiled softly down at me, shaking his head slightly back and forth as he rolled his eyes, before focusing again on the path before him. I presumed the issued was closed.

I inhaled deeply, attempting to sooth the apprehension that was binding me. Though his presence made it prohibitively difficult to stay calm, I understood the necessity of trying, as butterflies in my stomach, or a pounding heart rate would do nothing but exacerbate my nausea, not to mention the blood flow from my injury. I went back to focusing on the passage of the fluorescent light tubes overhead, as he now carried me down a far less ornate hallway that seemed solely occupied by offices, though it retained the wood paneling of the rest of the building. He finally reached a wooden door at the end of a particularly lengthy hallway and burst through it, not bothering to knock. The room we entered was tall, with wood paneled walls covered in bookshelves nearly as high as the beautifully embroidered chestnut ceiling. I heard someone stand abruptly across the room.

"Edward, what is this? What happened young lady?" said a smooth cool voice, soft and flowing like the wind. I snapped my head in the direction of the eerily familiar voice, yet one I was certain I had never heard before, to see a tall, lean man standing before me. His hair was brilliantly blonde, with a wavy texture which appeared as though it were purposefully styled, though I doubted that was the case. His skin was beautifully smooth, with as pallid a coloration as my own. None of these things however were the feature that most distinctly betrayed him. With a concerned expression, he stared at me from behind the ornate, mahogany desk with a pair of shimmering golden eyes. My gaze flashed up to Edward, a million questions dancing in my mind. He stared back at me expectantly, reminding me that Carlisle, or at least the man I felt safe assuming was Carlisle, had asked me a question. In the momentous surprise of meeting him however, I seemed to have been almost entirely incapable of recalling what I had been asked. I looked back at Edward hoping for some clue as to what I should say. I saw his recognition of my dilemma in his expression. He seemed amused by it.

"The imbecilic Mike Newton, in his infinite incompetence, managed to swivel his firearm directly into the path of Bella's skull," Edward said, his voice lined with a flat edge of irritated assertion that I had never heard in it before. I felt it understandable, as he been the one forced to inconveniently carry me clear to the other side of campus. I felt guilty for interrupting his day's activities.

"Lay her here on the table," the smooth voice instructed. I stared at Edward, the expectation of answers as clearly written in my expression as I was capable of conveying. I could see in his gaze his realization of what I desired.

"Bella," his velvety smooth voice began, "this is Carlisle." He gestured to the man before him, who was adorning a white lab coat over his button up shirt and tie. "My father," He elaborated. Instant understanding swam through my head. I noticed at once that despite the fact that there was hardly a line or wrinkle on his face, Carlisle was clearly older than Edward, and had a very similar facial structure. That was only logical of course, as obviously Edward had inherited his appearance from his father, who was just as flawlessly attractive as both of his children.

"Carlisle," Edward said looking towards his father, some measure of hesitation in his expression, "this is Bella." Edward's eyes averted from us upon my name, his gaze scanning the many books lining the walls, though I doubted he hadn't seen them countless times previously. Carlisle looked at his son with an expression that I could not comprehend. Edward acknowledged whatever it was with a nod and then turned to place me on the table.

"Carlisle is the dean of the school of internal medicine," He explained. "He's going to take care of you." His voice softened just as his expression did, his eyes swirling with reassurance. It felt as though warmth were radiating from him, almost like I was basking in the rays of the warm summer sun. Even the throbbing of my head seemed to momentarily subside, before returning in force when I crinkled my forehead in a smile.

Carlisle approached me, examining my wound.

"I'm going to need you to hold very still Bella," He said calmly. "Please let me know immediately if you experience any pain, or discomfort. Can you do that for me?" He met my inquiring eyes with a reassuring smile. I nodded. I found the manner with which he carried himself to be rather calming, and felt the grip of panic begin to subside. He asked me many diagnostic questions, whether it hurt when he placed his hands this way or that, shining light into my eyes, looking inside my ears and repositioning my head several times. He cleaned the blood from my face, placing a bandage over the wound.

"Well Bella, it appears that you were very lucky today," He said with a comforting smile. "Your wound doesn't appear to be deep enough to need stitches, and as far as I am able to ascertain, you have no discernable symptoms of concussion." I could tell from across the room by the sudden looseness of his posture that Edward felt just as overcome with relief as I did. I turned back towards Doctor Cullen, listening intently.

"There is however some heavy bruising of the tissue around the laceration that could prove to be moderately uncomfortable in the short term. I'm going to recommend some over the counter medication just to help alleviate any pain or headaches you might experience. Are you alright with that Bella?" he asked me intently. I nodded at him, causing my head to throb with increased intensity. Carlisle seemed to notice my discomfort, and I saw Edward try to suppress the subtle grin that crept across his face at my foolish action. Carlisle opened a drawer beneath his desk, pulling out a small pill bottle, and placing one of the blue ovals into his hand. He then proceeded to procure a cup of water from the cooler on the other side of the room and handed both objects to me.

"You can take this now if you'd like," He said with a warm smile. "I'll let you stay and rest for a few moments while it takes effect." He stood with precision, being sure not to cause any motion on the table so as to avoid causing me additional discomfort, and quickly crossed the room to a knob on the wall which he slid downward, dimming the lights slowly until shadows had consumed the room about us. He began to move towards a narrow doorway behind his desk.

"Edward," he called, gesturing for his son to join him. He placed his hand on Edward's shoulder, guiding him through the door in the rear of the office, which he left cracked. I could only scarcely see my surroundings by the light shining through the door crack, and looking through it, the silhouettes of Edward and Carlisle were clearly visible in this back room. I could not hear what they were saying, but based on Edward's rigid posture, I could tell that whatever conversation was being had seemed far from pleasant. Edward averted his gaze frequently throughout their conversation, gesturing wildly at a few points of particularly heated discussion. I wished more than anything that I could hear what the men were talking about, but I was also aware that it was rude to eavesdrop. My curiosity almost got the better of me on several occasions, but with concentration I managed to force myself to continue to lay on the cool, soothing surface of the desk. After a few moments, I turned my head back toward the illuminated opening to see Edward resting his face in his hands, pulling them slowly upward through his hair as though something was severely frustrating to him. I felt a tightening in my chest. I hoped his father wasn't angry about helping me. I hoped that whatever tense situation was unfolding behind the door wasn't my doing. I hoped Edward was alright. The cracked door opened and the lights slowly began to rise in the office.

"How are you feeling Bella," Carlisle asked me with a warm smile. Edward looked sullen as he entered the room behind his father.

"Um – My head is still throbbing a bit, but it's starting to get better." I told him truthfully. Carlisle placed his hands gently under my shoulders helping me to a seated position. The throbbing seemed to pulse and change as my incline increased, but it was far from unbearable.

"I'm going to give you the rest of this bottle Bella. Take one every six hours for the rest of the day, and then as needed for the following three days afterwards. Alright?" he asked with impeccable bedside manner. I nodded with understanding at him. He smiled gently at me before turning to Edward.

"Edward if you would be so kind as to show Bella here the way out. I have a surgical study to teach in just a few minutes," He said, glancing at the clock.

"Thank you Doctor Cullen," I said, "It was nice to meet you."

"Likewise," he said warmly.

I stood, at first unsteadily, on my feet. Upon regaining my balance Edward began to lead me towards the door, opening it before me like the gentleman I now knew him to be. As I stepped through the threshold Carlisle cleared his throat behind me.

"Son," he said, pausing. I turned to face him as did Edward. "You need to be absolutely certain. Please, just take the time to think it through." Edward showed no change or acknowledgement. He simply closed the door silently and guided me down the labyrinth of hallways without so much as another word. As I trailed behind him through the medical building, rushing to keep up with his stride, I couldn't help but ponder what had caused his suddenly surly mood. What could have possibly been the topic of their conversation for it to have had such an effect on him? I so badly wanted to know. My curiosity burned at the tip of my lips. But I had too great a respect for Edward to attempt to pry, and I knew it to be none of my business, and so, with a great amount of willpower, I held the question back. When we emerged from the building, the sun shone brilliant and warm across the campus lawns. Edward spun abruptly to face me, his expression devoid of any emotion.

"You know your way back from here I presume?" He asked coldly.

"Yes?" I responded, taken aback by the hard edge in his voice.

"Very well. I have some business to attend to. I'll see you in class," he said, almost robotically, not meeting my eyes, but rather staring directly over my head as though watching for something. He turned abruptly and began walking away in a brisk stride.

"See you then," I called after him, bewildered. What on earth had happened in the back room of Carlisle's office? Whatever it was, it certainly had not spelled well for his mood. I resolved to ask him at the end of class the next day if only under the pretense of being concerned for his well being as opposed to my own deep seated curiosity. I was certain his mood would have rebounded by then so I felt as though I had little to worry about. Still, as my feet led me back to my dormitory, I couldn't shake the guttural feeling deep within me that something was seriously the matter with Edward, although logically I understood the preposterousness of that assumption.

Jessica and Angela were waiting for me in the common room when I stepped through the door, and immediately began bombarding me with questions. More precisely, Jessica bombarded me with questions while Angela attempted to reign her in. I told the both of them about my condition, and informed them that I was tired, and wanted to head to bed. I thought that Jessica would protest, but she seemed determined for once to let me do as I wished. I supposed the incident that day had scared her. After all, I did believe that Jessica did genuinely care about my wellbeing, even if it was typically overridden by her impulsive selfishness.

The next morning I attempted to remove my bandage after showering, but upon inspection of the grotesque nature of the wound, I made the decision to leave the bandage on at least for a few more days. If I was going to draw extra attention to myself, it should be in the least disgusting way possible, I decided. That day felt almost as bad as my first day at Lakefront had a few weeks prior. People would stare at me as I passed them on the lawns, commons, and hallways of the schools. To make matters worse, Mike attempted to corner me to apologize for his participation in the incident, but I expertly dodged him by ducking into the ladies room at the last moment, pretending not to see his approach. After a number of minutes hiding in a stall, I made my escape and began my anxious walk to the medical building for biology. I ran through a number of scenarios in my head in an attempt to determine the best way to approach Edward about the strangeness of his behavior the previous day. I had narrowed the conversation down to a few different options when I walked through the door of the auditorium. I looked up from my scheming, my eyes darting around the room automatically to locate him, but I couldn't seem to find him. Puzzled, I took my seat next to Angela who greeted me warmly, though I barely noticed in my distracted state.

Professor Banner started his lecture promptly at three o'clock. Edward was nowhere to be seen. I felt my chest and back tighten, and my head began to spin as the iron grip of panic began to close her fist violently about me. I waited patiently through the entire lecture for the moment when he would subtly enter through one of the rear doors and make his way towards the corner of the stage where he normally sat. Yet he never arrived. As I left the classroom I found my mind spinning dizzily at the implications of his non-attendance. Could something have happened to him? Eventually I concluded that he was likely just feeling under the weather and so had chosen to stay home and rest for the day. Surely that was the cause of his absence. Still, fear shot through me like an icy poison. I took a deep breath of air into my lungs in an attempt to calm myself, wishing that I could recall the words that Carlisle had spoken to him the day before, wishing I could have heard the conversation that had taken place on the other side of the door.

I awaited Thursday anxiously for the opportunity to return to biology class. I almost felt jittery as I walked towards the medical building, my excitement was so pronounced, but upon stepping through the doors I saw the sign reminding students that today was a testing day, and to proceed to the testing lab. Neither Professor Banner nor Edward would be in attendance there. Only the piercing gazes of the testing center staff. I felt the weight of my hopes collapse into me, nearly knocking the wind out of me. I would have to wait until the following Tuesday for my chance, an amount of time that seemed nearly unfathomable in my tightened state.

The weekend passed me in a daze, and by the time Tuesday had finally arrived I felt as though I had nearly lost all of my remaining sanity. I allowed myself to sleep until the last possible moment, shortening the amount of time I had to suffer before I could step into the lecture hall and see the teasing smirk that lit his face every time I entered the classroom. It was an expression that I seemed to have almost lost from my memory for it had been so long since I had last gazed upon it.

I pushed myself hurriedly across campus, so recklessly fast that I tumbled over a crack in the sidewalk, catching myself with my hands, causing them to sting with pain for the remainder of my brief walk to the medical building. Upon bursting through the door my eyes instantly scanned the room, as they longed to find the one who could stop the insanity that had befallen me. There he was, sitting at his desk upon the stage like a glorious idol in a grand temple, and all of us had simply come here to be in his presence. I took my seat quickly, anxiously awaiting the moment that he would gaze around the room, the moment his eyes would meet mine, the incredible feeling his expression of recognition would give me. But he never once glanced up from the stack of papers before him in the time before class started. His pen ran furiously over each sheet. He only finally moved when it was time for roll call, and I knew that the moment I had been seeking was close at hand now. He began the list as usual, his velvet voice reading through the names, his eyes darting to each student as they acknowledged their presence in the room and marking them appropriately as such. I could feel him drawing closer to my name, and my body almost couldn't wait the last few seconds that I knew it must.

"Isabella Swan," he read off the list. I felt my eyebrows shoot skyward as I was stunned by confusion. Isabella? He had not called me Isabella in weeks. I looked up at him expecting his searching gaze, but he continued to stare directly at the paper before him, focusing on it with intense scrutiny.

"Present," I answered, so obviously perplexed that Angela shot me an inquisitive look. He never raised his eyes from the page. He simply made the appropriate mark and continued down the list. I sat in my seat staring at him in stunned silence, a numbness progressing through my body as though I had been injected with anesthesia. As soon as roll was complete, he returned to the desk in the corner of the auditorium, retrieved his pen and resumed his vigorous markings across the papers.

I was not present in class that day, at least not mentally. The seconds seemed to tick by in agonizing torture as I awaited his gaze, as I longingly hoped for him to simply look up from his papers. He never did.

Professor Banner released the class, yet the iron grip on my insides prevented me from moving. How was I to approach him if he hadn't even acknowledged my existence? The horrid realization dawned on me, nearly causing me to be ill: I couldn't. I simply had to leave with nothing. I had to leave empty. I had to leave alone.

"Ms. Swan," the velvet voice called out to me. My eyes darted up to look at him, but he was not facing in my direction, but rather proceeding to a door in the side of the auditorium.

"A word," he called after me. I rose unsteadily, my legs feeling rather like they were composed of gelatin, and proceeded through the door, down a short bland hallway and into an unlabeled office, the door of which he had vanished through moments earlier. When I entered, the room seemed a chaos of papers and books, though I hardly noticed the clutter with Edward sitting poised behind the desk, the cool light from the one small window in the corner accenting his flawless face. I felt my pulse increase in his presence, even as I was flooded with an uncertain feeling of dread. I stood before him for several moments, his hand still scribbling over the papers, before he finally spoke without looking up.

"I finished grading your test Ms. Swan. Did you prepare for it?" he asked aloof. The iron grip tightened.

"Of course – All – All last week," I stuttered, barely able to force my vocal cords to produce intelligible sounds.

"I see," he said. His pen pausing momentarily as though he were in thought.

"Perhaps then you should find a tutor Ms. Swan, or it seems you will be repeating biology." His voice was full of ice that seemed to cut me as it raked over my form. I welcomed the icy velvet pain as much as I rejected it. I continued to stare at him, dumbfounded and he continued to write furiously.

"Is – Is that all you wished to speak with me about?" The pen paused again. He slowly set it down on the surface of his small desk and, finally, raised his face to look at me. His glorious golden eyes were frozen.

"Yes," he said, staring at me. I stared back at him unable to respond as I was being choked from within by my own throat. Through the frost, I could see deep within his eyes, something stirring.

"Was there anything else I should be speaking with you about?" He asked sternly. There it was again, something stirring in him, trapped under the surface, although what it was I was unsure of as I found myself unable to think, entirely immobilized by the iron vice that had fastened itself firmly to my chest.

"Apparently not," I managed to choke out in a whisper. He stared at me expectantly, as though waiting for more, and I returned his stare, hoping for more.

"The library has a tutoring service on Wednesday and Friday evenings," he said, returning his eyes to his papers.

"Couldn't you do it," I blurted out recklessly. His eyes flickered back up to mine, hard and cold. He paused for a moment.

"I'm afraid that is not possible." He said firmly. I stared at him, imploringly, frustrated.

"Why not," I demanded. I noticed it again. His eyes melted just slightly, the hardness of his expression thawing despite his best effort not to allow it, and I again saw the strange expression in the depths of his eyes. It was only visible for a brief moment, but it was long enough for me to decipher what it was: guilt.

"I have no time for you Ms. Swan," he said, and his gaze froze over once more. I felt the heat building in my eyes as a liquid film began to swirl just below the surface. I fought them with all of my power as the tears threatened to consume me, to tear me down into nothing but a crumpled up piece of paper lying helplessly on the ground. I had to escape. I had to escape now.


	7. Chapter 7

I was unaware of anything transpiring around me as I walked autonomously out of the medical building. All of my concentration was focused on strengthening the dam of my eyes against the onslaught of tears that was threatening to break free at even the slightest sign of weakness. I stumbled across the grass blindly, as an invisible force seemed to squeeze tighter and tighter around my chest. It was becoming difficult for me to breath by the time I found what I was seeking: the small, overgrown path into the woods. I could not hold back the dam much longer and the forest seemed in no mood to offer any assistance, the branches twisting and raking against one another bleakly in the icy wind. The force clutching my body seemed to go for my throat as well, tightening so powerfully that I almost felt as though water were pouring downward into my lungs, and I felt as though at any moment I would collapse under my own weight into the forest, never to be seen again. At this point I was unsure whether or not I even desired ever to be seen again.

At long last I emerged from the trees into the desolate grassy vista against the endless expanse of the lake. The water churned angrily, white foam springing from the dark murky depths as nearly black clouds swirled ominously above the water. The cold wind burned my face externally with nearly the severity that I was burning internally. Yet, while I burned, I was drowning, and with the last remnants of my will broken, alone amongst the assortment of rounded stones, the dam that had been holding back the water brimming in my eyes sighed its last breath. The tears slid silently across my skin, and my clouded thoughts began to take shape.

I knew it to be inevitable from the first moment I had ever laid eyes on him. I knew that I was unworthy of even being permitted to feel such a careless lust for him, and that each moment I had allowed myself with him would make his inevitable rejection of me strike me with double the force. Yet, I had never imagined it done in such a way. To be snuffed out in an instant. It felt as though a hot iron had been driven into my chest. I was aware that the blame was entirely mine for this predicament, and even after numerous attempts to prepare myself for this moment, the weight of it was still too much for me to bare. I leaned backwards until I felt the soft grass catch me, and stared straight upward into the tumultuous heavens above.

It occurred to me, as I laid staring upward, a prisoner to my own thoughts, how very witless I had been as of late. Yet even now, I was incapable of chasing the memory of his haunting beauty, of his heart shattering smile, of his comforting warmth from my thoughts.

Something cold suddenly landed upon my cheek, feeling almost rather like a pin prick, and a bead of liquid began to roll off the side of my face, eased by the already moist pathway of my tears. There was yet another prick, and then another, and another, and before my thoughts had coalesced, a deluge of frigidly cold water began to fall across the length of my body. Yet with each drop of water, I felt increasingly refreshed, as though I were able to think clearly for the first time in weeks, as though the influence of Edward Cullen was being carried away by the torrential flood from the heavens.

Edward would never feel for me as I did for him. Of that much I was absolutely certain. But as the cold waters cleansed my face and soaked through my sweater, I felt a measured increase of warmth. No, this fool's errand, this perpetual daydream of mine in which I would have garnered some measure of prospect with Edward certainly appeared doomed, as I realized that it always had been. But I could not allow it to unravel me. I could not allow it to sweep me away into oblivion. I might have been fated to suffer through the next four years of my life here, but perhaps in an optimistic light, he had simply given me the gift of allowing the first month of my purgatory to pass in haste. Suddenly, I once again began to see this place, this small area along the lakeshore that I had found on my first day here, for what it was and originally had been. A place of reflection. And in that reflection I imagined myself lying on the ground, soaked to the core as though I were totally helpless, and I felt my resolve begin to stiffen. Simply because I wished for him to be in my life, did not make his presence a requirement. I did not need him. I could survive without him. I _would_ survive without him.

I positioned myself upright abruptly, a sense of clarity filling me. The rain had ceased and left behind a frigid biting cold. Autumn was clearly on its way to the city. Upon careful observation, I could now see that very minute quantities of orange and gold were hidden in the vivid greenery of the trees. I shivered as the icy wind cut through my damp sweater like a knife. I quickly rose to my feet and began trudging through the woods, realizing that nightfall had already begun. The swirling black masses of the storm had disguised its approach, and the world was now bathed in the dim grey light of the clouded twilight sky. The shadows of the forest were encroaching upon me, and it quickly became increasingly strenuous to find the path I was supposed to follow. It was only after I had been walking for far too long in the blackness of the forest that I realized I had completely lost the trail. Branches were scraping at my face and arms in the darkness, and strange noises filled the air around me. As I stumbled almost blindly through the twilight shadows, my foot caught on something large and bulky causing me to trip forward into a tree, which I held to steadfastly.

I forced myself to stop for a moment, breathing in deeply through my nose in an attempt to calm my increasing levels of panic. It was a mistake. The earthy smell of the forest was so uncannily similar to that of Edward himself that it took me several more minutes to chase the ghost of him from my thoughts, and to pull the throbbing spear back out of my chest again as I had on the beach. He was still about me everywhere, even in my moments of strength. I had no idea how I would survive without, how I could carry on yearning for the comfort of his embrace and yet never being with him, but I knew that I must find a way. I forced myself to focus upon my surroundings. I could not allow myself to be consumed, either by the ghost of Edward, or the ever encroaching blackness of the trees. I scanned the shadows about me looking for some clue, any clue as to an exit from the darkness, from the horror that gripped me. I strained my eyes against the night, a sense of terror closing in on me. Finally, after several strenuous minutes, I found what I was after. A glimmer of orange light shining through the trees, an artificial light source coming from the campus lawn. I trudged towards it slowly and cautiously in the darkness, trying to bend the branches away from me before they hand a chance to whip against the exposed skin of my face. The light shone brighter, the branches grew thinner, and after a few more moments I emerged onto the lawn before the medical building. I bent over, resting my hands on my knees and released a massive exhalation of air as I felt the fist around my windpipe unclench. The lawn was entirely devoid of students. Whether that was due to the late hour or the frigid rainfall of earlier I was entirely unsure.

I began slowly walking in the direction of my dormitory. Now that the immediate danger of spending a night in the woods had subsided, I realized how frigidly cold I was, as the dampness of my sweater had bled through to my shirt. My jeans were thoroughly soaked through and my wet hair dripped down my back.

I had never walked this section of campus at night before, though I had never consciously realized it until that moment. It was a far less inviting place than in the daylight hours, as the streetlights were few and far between, leaving long stretches of shadowy darkness between them, accented occasionally by the blue light of one of the campuses security boxes. That had been one of the prominent student safety features listed to us during orientation. Upon reaching the security box one simply needed to press the blue button and help would be dispatched within a few minutes. I had never appreciated their presence until I began my dark, shadowy walk home.

As I walked in the darkness below a long line of towering trees, which seemed just shadowy masses in the night, I became aware for the first time that I was not walking alone. I could hear them behind me, the footsteps, and instinctively glanced over my shoulder. Several shadows were stumbling along behind me, older boys dressed in clothing that hinted at them originating from a fraternity, though I could not be any more specific than that in the shadows. I picked up my pace in spite of the cold, turning left at the junction ahead towards my dorm. Moments later, as I rounded the corner and left the warm embrace of the junction lights behind and proceeded again forward into the darkness, I could hear the muffled footsteps mimicking my path, turning the corner as I had. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being followed, a preposterous notion I knew. It was possible that in my emotional turmoil I was simply experiencing a level of paranoia that was not typically present in my behavior. I relaxed my walk, convincing myself that nothing was the matter at all and that I was simply losing my mind.

A sharp whistle, a catcall so to speak, broke through the stillness of the night. I turned abruptly to look over my shoulder. Sharp laughter rang from behind me, and one of the boys in the group began pumping his fist repeatedly in the air making a loud whooping sound. I turned forward once more, urging my feet to push me forward faster. There were no clear junctions marked ahead. I had nowhere to go, and yet I could hear the footsteps of those behind me catching up to me quickly. An invisible pressure was squeezing into me, threatening to suffocate me. Paranoia, I reminded myself quickly. It was simply paranoia.

"Damn she's fine," a male voice shouted after me. I did not turn to see whos voice it was, but the man who spoke it did not even attempt to keep his slur from reaching my ears, calling powerfully into the night as though he were staking a claim. Paranoia. My heart pulsed faster.

"Why don't you slow up for a minute," a different voice called to me, deep and rough. Through the darkness, I could see my only chance at salvation. Far down the dark curving path shone the blue light of the security pole. I began to push myself faster. I felt that my only chance of escape was to reach it. Paranoia, I thought, although that time I had reminded myself of it only in an attempt to calm myself, to lift the boulder that had been placed on my chest, the one making it difficult to breath.. The pole was no more than a few hundred feet from me.

"Hold on a sec," a voice shouted practically next to me in the darkness causing me to jump, making me fall victim to my fatal flaw: my lack of coordination. I tripped over a crack in the sidewalk in my haste, stumbling slightly and I was forced to pause for a moment to right myself. A hand latched itself around my wrist with such force that it was sharply painful. I let out a short yelp and spun around to face those who had followed me.

"Stop!" I shouted into the faces of the five men behind me. Their uproarious laughter, taunting and menacing, filled the air as I pulled my wrist against the iron grip which bound me. It would not loosen. The others were coming closer now and my eyes darted to the box, so close with its shining blue beacon of hope. I could not reach it, I realized. They would outrun me, and so terror clenched against my chest, pressing forward, urging me to scream. I doubted I could inhale deep enough to produce a scream of sufficient volume for help to come, for my breathing had become rapid and shallow.

"Please," I gasped at them frantically, "Please just go away!" The laughter returned, even more maniacal than the first time. I could smell the odors of alcohol drifting through the air as they laughed sloppily all around me. I was surrounded, they were inebriated, and I had no chance for escape. I prepared to muster up a scream, my last chance at avoiding what I now knew was certainly to come. My breath hitched and I prepared for horror to embrace me.

"She said stop." The powerful velvet voice reverberated with authority in the damp night air. Several of their number looked about to see from whence the voice had come, and that's when I saw him, standing in shadows, stalking headlong forward, his brisk walk filled with urgency, his posture conveying a sense of dominance. The iron grasp on my wrist vanished as the men stepped back from me, watching the shadowy figure approach them with haste. It was incredible how quickly the unrelenting terror of just moments before had completely abandoned me with his arrival, to be replaced with a sense of complete, penetrating warmth and safety.

"Come on Bella, let's go," Edward practically whispered, urgency filling his tone. He placed his hand on my back, guiding me away from my would be attackers. Heat radiated from his hand, spreading throughout my body, and all of the convictions that I had created and walls I had begun to erect upon the beach that afternoon were decimated instantly by his proximity. I was just as foolish to think I could have ever escaped his power as I had been to ever believe he desired my companionship. I seemed to be unable to escape my own idiotic tendencies as of late, a trend I realized I must work harder to reverse.

We walked without speaking for a long while across campus, coming closer and closer to our final destination: my dormitory. And with each step closer, I could feel my time with him growing shorter and shorter, and a frantic panic began to grip me inside, knowing that momentarily he would again part ways with me and that I, alone with my own thoughts, would once again collapse. I closed my eyes, drawing calming energy from the hand on my back and inhaled deeply, attempting to control my trembling body. I exhaled opening my eyes. Edward was looking down at me, his expression wrought with genuine concern.

"Bella," His golden eyes bore into me with unstoppable force, "are you alright?" I could see him appraising my reaction, his expression gentle and warm, the antithesis of what it had been is his office merely hours prior. I felt paralyzed by it momentarily, but his eyes grew more anxious for a response the longer I delayed. I shook my head to clear the haze from my thoughts.

"Um – yes. Thank you." I responded as the realization of his actions dawned upon me. He had saved me. He had appeared in the night like a valiant warrior to protect me, and with that thought another wave of warmth spread through my body. Relief washed his features, and a warmer smile still widened across his face, and the world was illuminated brightly beneath it even in the darkness. In that moment, an astute awareness of my surroundings returned to me and I realized Edward must not know exactly which dormitory was mine. Of course he wouldn't, he had never been there before, and we had already passed it several moments ago. It took every ounce of willpower I had to bring myself to speak, as I wished to wander aimlessly with him for as long as possible. Still, I resolved to do what I felt was the right thing.

"Um - Edward. My dorm is actually right back there. I can –"

"I'm not taking you to your dormitory." He responded, guiding me around a corner at the far end of the long rows of dormitories, his eyes glancing forward into the darkness.

"You're not?" I asked, taken entirely by surprise. Where on earth he would be escorting me if not to the safety of my own home, I wondered.

"I'm taking you to dinner," he said, turning to face me, his expression hesitant, "If, of course, you'd be inclined to allow me to do so." The realization struck me that he was genuinely giving me a choice. I was free to refuse his offer if I wished, although why anyone in the world would ever refuse such a chance to spend time with a man so incredible I did not know.

"Oftentimes people find it comforting to eat and rehydrate after traumatic events," he added hesitantly, averting his eyes, uncertainty lingering in his voice. A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

"That sounds lovely," I said, hesitantly allowing my smile to bloom fully across my face. The smile he returned surely overshadowed mine one hundred fold, but I did not care in that particular moment. I had just been provided with the greatest chance I could possibly have imagined with him: Several hours of his audience.

Just off of campus, we approached the brilliantly illuminated train station, a place I had not visited since just such a train had dropped me off at my new home over a month prior. The realization of just how large a difference there was between that moment and this one struck me with powerful appreciation. I had arrived here empty, and full of dread, and yet now I stood on the very same platform with Edward, so full of hope. Foolish, reckless self-destructive hope to be sure, but hope nonetheless.

The icy knife of the wind blasting through the open station pulled me from my appreciative state, and a shiver shuffled through me, seemingly shaking my very core. I had wrapped my hands around my own body, trying to savor the last remnants of my body heat, when I noticed Edward shrugging off his tan leather jacket. The grey fabric of the long sleeve shirt he wore beneath it clung to his powerful chest, making it difficult for me to avert my eyes. Once he had freed himself of the jacket's embrace, he turned to me, his eyes full of concern, and draped the jacket gently across my shoulders. I gazed up at him, silently seeking permission to accept his gift. His gaze turned teasing, raising an eyebrow at me as though to point out the preposterous nature of my hesitation. I slid my arms down the sleeves of his jacket, which were far too long for me, resting almost completely over the length of my fingertips. I couldn't help but chuckle at how ridiculous I must have looked, my hair a tangled wet mess, while wearing soggy clothing and a leather jacket clearly far too big for my petite frame. Edward seemed to have noticed my slovenly state as well.

"What happened to you?" he asked with a chuckle, lifting a clump of my damp hair from my back, running his fingers down its length.

"It rained," I said meekly, shrugging my shoulders. He shook his head back and forth slightly rolling his eyes at me as though my behavior had been ridiculous, which was a ludicrous insinuation from a man who had seemed to have had a one hundred and eighty degree behavioral shift in the last few hours. What on earth had happened to Edward? What had made him suddenly so cold and brutal only to about face hours later? Why was he here with me now? And how had he known where I was? As countless other questions began to bubble up in my mind, I contented to stopper them momentarily and allow myself to simply be grateful for being there at the moment, unharmed, thanks to his interference. I would ask my questions over dinner, I decided.

The train whisked rapidly into the station and I stepped through the doors, Edward quickly trailing me, and found two empty seats in the middle of the cabin. I sat down against the window, and Edward took the seat directly adjacent to me. The lights of the houses lining the station quickly vanished behind us as we were propelled at a rapid velocity into the night. Edward stared downward at me, as if he were waiting for something, an unfathomable expression on his face. He was as dazzling to me still as he had been the very first time I had laid eyes on him.

Something began to happen there on that train ride into the city. The humming of electricity that I had first felt in biology class had resumed its invisible energy once more. It seemed to fill the narrow gap between us, causing my heart to race. Edward stared into my eyes intently, and I couldn't help but allow my gaze to drift over his face. His hair shone brilliantly in the fluorescent light, which gave his jawline a hard edge to it, and his lips glowed with a soft warmth, a tantalizing invitation. I watched his broad chest rise and fall with his breathing, far calmer than mine, which was quickly becoming more jagged and rapid with the ever charging current of energy. It felt the strongest in my hand, less than half an inch away from his. I desired nothing more than to reach over and touch him, to complete the circuit and allow the energy to flow between us uninterrupted. But I decided against it. I was unsure how he would react to such a gesture, so I pulled my hand into my lap and stared out the window.

I was struck by the beautifully illuminated nighttime skyline of the windy city, soaring overhead to unimaginable heights. It was beautiful, majestic, and humbling all at once. For the first time since my arrival I felt myself crediting the city with something it rightfully deserved: Awe. Edward stood as the train began to slow to a crawl, and I followed him as he departed onto the narrow platform, and descended the wooden stairs to the street below. As we stepped out on to the street he turned to look at me, an amiable smile lighting his face, gesturing that I come closer to him.

"Look up," he said softly to me as I approached him. I did so, to see stretched out before me the endlessly illuminated majesty of mankind. It was something men have written songs, and stories, and poems about. Something intangible that could never be captured by words, but only by experience. And there, in awe of the city, his shoulder brushed against mine. It felt almost as though my heart had crashed into my ribcage. Something strange jumped through my body, seemingly from his touch. An unknown source of energy, something entirely alien to me, something that seemed to hum like magnetism, and burn like fire simultaneously. I searched through my experiences to define it but still came up empty. I filed it away for later, hoping that time might provide me with some clarity. He searched my face, seemingly satisfied by my awestruck state.

"Welcome to Chicago," He said. It was in that moment that moment that I had only ever seen one thing in my entire life more beautiful than the magnificence of the city in which I stood, and that thing was currently standing before me, with a smile more brilliant than all the lights of the city combined plastered across his flawless face.


	8. Chapter 8

I never truly comprehended how insignificantly small I was until I walked through the crowded bustling streets of the city for the first time. The buildings towered so far overhead that attempting to stare at their peaks was almost dizzying. There was no end in sight to them and I found that I had vastly underestimated the sheer scale of the monstrous metropolis that surrounded me.

Edward on the other hand appeared perfectly comfortable, as he guided me through the blinding lights and endless avenues of the city. I was entirely unaware of what our destination was, but I did not feel inclined to care as long as Edward would be there with me. After all, I still had so many questions for him, brewing in my mind with such force that they threatened to almost bubble over in anticipation. At long last, he paused in front of a pair of large wooden doors, a stained glass window adorning the center of each. A heavenly smell drifted forth from the open doors. I inhaled deeply, allowing the tantalizing aroma to dance through my head. I heard him chuckle lightly, and turned to see him gazing down at me gently, a smirk gracing his lips.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and assume that you have never tried a Chicago style pizza before?" His tone wasn't really that of a question, but rather a statement of fact. I shook my head, answering the question he never asked, and he chuckled lightly once more, smiling at me.

"Allow me the honor of changing that," he smirked, stepping through the doors and up to the stand. The hostess greeted him with a smile, although her eyes betrayed her bewilderment, as she was stunned by him as thoroughly as all of the female students at the college seemed to be.

"A table for two if you could," he requested of her. She simply nodded, likely still incoherent, scooping up the appropriate number of menus and silverware rolls in her hands before turning to guide us to the dining room. The walls were lined with stonework, barrels, and endless racks of fine wines, with old Edison style bulbs hanging over each table, giving the restaurant a relaxed yet intimate ambience. I could faintly hear the smooth, but uplifting jazz music which played in the background, completing the tone of warm sophistication. She gestured to a table and Edward moved around to the chair at the far side, sliding it out from under the table. He turned his gaze upon me, an expectant look glistening in his eyes. It dawned upon me that he was pulling the chair out for me. I hesitated momentarily; no man had ever performed this gesture for in the past. After I had had a moment to process it however, I smiled at him gently and accepted his gesture, sitting gently on the old wooden chair. He slid around the table, and took his place across from me.

"Thank you," I said softly. He smiled at me, nodding slightly.

"You're server will be with you momentarily," the hostess said politely, before she took her leave of us. I couldn't help but gaze in his direction, and I felt my body fill with the warmth of his presence. He stared back at me softly, but intently. The bubbling pot of questions began to boil over and the first slipped from my lips without permission.

"How did you know?" I asked in a hushed tone. I leaned across the table towards him, my elbows resting on its wooden surface to support my weight.

"Know what?" he smirked back at me, leaning forward slightly as well. At that moment our server had rounded the corner and stopped at the end of our table. He welcomed us graciously, grinning ear to ear. He was a tall, thin man, though not lanky. He was clearly in shape, just of a smaller build.

"My name is Angelo and I'll be your server this evening. Can I get you started with anything to drink?" he asked, glancing sideways at Edward several times. Apparently even the men in this town couldn't help themselves but to stare at his magnificence. I tried my best to stifle a chuckle, but despite my efforts a smile still graced the edges of my lips.

"Do you trust me?" He raised an eyebrow nodding in my direction, his hair practically shimmering in the low warm glow of the Edison bulbs. There was no pause or hesitation in my answer.

"Of course," I practically whispered.

"We'll have the house special deep dish, and a bottle of your Marlborough pinot noir please," Edward told our server, his deep velvet voice polite and gentle. Angelo's eyes drifted over Edward far more overtly, clearly taking in how his skin tight shirt accentuated the mass of his powerful biceps.

"I'll be right back with that," he said, his eyes giving one last glance towards me to see whether or not he had been caught red-handed. He did not seem bothered when he discovered that I had seen him. He simply shot me a smile and sauntered away, glancing once more over his shoulder before vanishing from sight.

"It seems you have an admirer," I giggled at Edward. I couldn't believe my own mouth. I was a grown woman, there was absolutely no reason I should be giggling. Edward laughed with me however assuaging my embarrassment considerably. He refocused on me, his expression turning serious again.

"So where were we?" he asked politely, his eyes inviting me to speak freely, something that I had time in the last few moments to realize I should not do with as much candor as I had originally intended. I resolved to edit my question into a different, much less invasive one.

"How did you know I've never had Chicago pizza before?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him. He laughed to himself, glancing downward for a moment before gazing back at me, grinning playfully.

"Well, seeing what your attitude has been towards this place since the moment you first arrived, I felt fairly certain you hadn't been out to experience the city. It seems I was correct in that assumption." My mind flashed back to the memory of our first encounter, and muddled frustration flashed through me once more. He saw the distortion in my expression and, leaning forward over the table once more, ensnared me in his stare, letting out a brief sigh.

"You have to understand that I never meant to upset you that first day. I meant only to help you, to give you someone to talk to if you needed it. As an impartial stranger, I thought I would have been unable to judge you, and perhaps could have provided you with some perspective. I never meant to cause you any offense. Really," he insisted. His eyes were soft, beautiful, and earnest. There was no deceit in them. He had meant me no harm from the very start, and I, being the fool that I was, had despised him for a simple misunderstanding. It dawned upon me that perhaps that was only part of the reason I had despised him. The lesser of the two reasons in fact, the primary reason being that he was unimaginably gorgeous, so much so that his smile had in a single instant, ruined my life forever.

"I'm sorry for the way I behaved as well. I was just…" I didn't know how to finish my thought without divulging more of myself than I wished to. "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter now does it. But I do apologize for being angry with you," I conceded. There was no way I couldn't apologize to him. It was no fault of his own that he was so attractive to me that I had become hostile. Yet again, I felt ashamed of the foolish behavior in which I had partaken in since arriving in this city.

"There was something you never told me that day," He said, staring downward at his hands, which rested on the table mere inches from my own. I stifled my own desire to reach across the table and place my hands on top of them. I looked at him inquisitively.

"Where is home? Before it was here I mean?" He asked, his eyes studying me carefully.

"Phoenix, actually," I admitted, remembering how on my first day here I had missed the dry searing heat of my desert home.

"Cold, damp, and grey – reminded you of Phoenix?" he asked with measured perplexity.

"You remembered that?" I asked, in awe of the retention he had of our first conversation, but he simply raised an eyebrow at me nodding, staring back at me expectantly.

"I lived in Phoenix with my mom throughout my childhood, but when I was seventeen, my mother remarried. I wanted her to be able to have her space, to be able to travel with Phil as she pleased without having to worry about me, so I went to live with Charlie – my dad," I corrected, "in Forks. It's a little town in Washington," I explained, realizing that a Chicagoan such as Edward would have no knowledge of Forks. He was watching me intently.

"Do you miss them? Your parents and Phil?" He asked. I shrugged slightly.

"Not nearly as much as I thought I would," I answered truthfully. He seemed to consider this for a time. Angelo rounded the corner, a large deep pizza in a massive dish rested on his tray. He set the tray down upon the easel, and placed a plate in front of each of us. He then placed the massive pizza, almost two entire inches thick before us with a tool that looked almost like a tool one would use to slice cake. He pulled a bottle of red wine from the tray as well, and uncorked it silently, pouring each of us a glass. I had thought to remind Edward of my only being nineteen, but I had an instinctive feeling _that_ conversation would proceed much as it had before and so I remained silent, allowing the server to pour my glass.

"Can I get anything else for you?" he asked Edward, giving him a look that almost passed for innocence, though I perceived the subtle desire in his eyes. Edward smiled at my judgmental expression before turning his gaze back up at our server.

"I believe we're fine for the time being," he responded politely, and Angelo took his leave of us, if not begrudgingly. I stared down at the pizza before us, its incredible smell wafting towards me, luring me in for a taste. It looked simply incredible. Edward was eyeing me questioningly from across the table, his eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Are you going to just stare it down, or would you like to actually eat the pizza?" He asked, chuckling at his own humor. I rolled my eyes at him, shooting him a look of mock indecision. He smirked at me before seizing the pizza knife from the table.

"Remember to hold it closer to the blade," I added mockingly. He glared at me, "gives you better accuracy." I finished, a satisfied grin plastered across my face. Edward stared back at me expressionless. He seemed hilariously unamused.

With expert precision, he ran the blade into the heart of the pie, and with a sawing motion, cut a perfect line through the pizza. Then at an angle, he sliced yet again through the perfect sauce topping the pizza. He slid the blade underneath the crust, and lifted the massive wedge into the air. Strings of melted cheese connected the piece precariously with the remaining whole of the pie. I held my plate forward for him, and he carefully placed the slice onto my plate. I pulled it back to myself picking up my fork and my knife. Edward shot me a look of encouragement, as I hesitated. I cut the tip of the slice off with my utensils and taking a breath placed the bite into my mouth. The explosion of flavor was unbelievably savory. Hints of tomato and cheese were accented perfectly by the flavor of smoked sausage. It was chewy and the cheese seemed to flow in my mouth as though it were liquid. Edward was watching me apprehensively from across the table, his eyes intently focused upon me.

"Well?" he asked expectantly. "How is it?" He seemed incredibly interested in my opinion of the dish. I assumed it must have been a deep matter of pride for Chicagoans that outsiders enjoyed their pizzas as much as they did. Had I been a better liar, I would have led him astray, teasing him with my ambiguity before finally revealing my true thoughts on the matter. However, I was indeed a poor liar, and my opinion of the dish before me was far too powerful to hide.

"It's – Amazing," I said, hurriedly ingesting another bite. He grinned at me, apparently pleased by my reaction. The handsomeness of his satisfied expression struck me as it always did with incredible strength.

I couldn't help but stare at the angel across the table from me, his skin soft and warm in the intimate lighting, a small smile tugging upward at the edges of his perfect, alluring lips. His eyes seemed a more subdued light brown under the muted lighting above, and the patterned grey fabric of his shirt clung to the defined bulges of his broad, muscular shoulders. His comforting expression held no traces of the frigid coldness he had exhibited earlier in the day. It was as though winter had thawed in but an hour, and the exquisite blooms of spring had already erupted to take its place. I couldn't help but ponder what had brought about such a change so quickly. What had led him to become the frozen sculpture of himself in the first place? How had he known my whereabouts this evening? And why now had he suddenly taken up such an attitude of civility? I could do nothing to stop innumerable more questions from presenting themselves in my mind, but I remained stiffly resolved not to bombard him with any of them, for the price of attaining none of the answers to my inquiries was worth the gift of his presence.

Something in his expression was slowly changing, and his eyes became more penetrating, the slight smile departing his face as he pursed his lips slightly. I remembered too late the pinpoint accuracy of his intuition, far past the point where I could have withdrawn my thoughts and prevented an exchange that I was uncertain I wanted to have.

"What are you thinking?" He asked intensely, his eyes increasingly more vigilant in an attempt to detect any dishonesty on my behalf. There was no escaping the truth, I decided. At some inevitable point in time, I would have to ask my questions, and I was positive that the responses I would receive would likely be unpleasant. I sighed, meeting his gaze head on.

"Nothing really – It's just – I have a few questions, but – I don't actually know that I'm brave enough to ask," I admitted truthfully, battling to maintain my coherency under the immense force of his gaze. I could feel my chest tightening, as I straightened my posture in an attempt to release some of the pressure from stomach. His eyes flickered down with such brevity that I would have entirely missed it had I not been paying such scrupulous attention, before he again focused his gaze on me.

"You can ask me anything you'd like," he said, deeply, "I'll be entirely candid, or at least to the extent that I'm allowed to be if your questions are anything like I presume them to be," he amended, with a small smile, simultaneously warm, but notably apprehensive.

"Anything?" I clarified skeptically.

"Anything at all," he responded, meeting my eyes intently, somehow the golden brown depths of his eyes even more alluring than usual, even with the slight edge of apprehension edging his expression. I too felt apprehensive in the moment, unsure of how he would react. However, I knew his intuition to be unparalleled, and he would likely know if I had gone easy on him, and so I threw myself into the pit of truth, knowing that once I had fallen from the ledge and into the abyss, there would be no returning.

"How did you know where I was tonight?" I asked blatantly. His eyes widened slightly, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat, and he glanced around with what I could only presume to be nerves.

"Ah," he said, staring at the half finished pizza in front of us absently, "I was afraid you would ask that," he said softly. I felt a sharp twinge of guilt in my chest for putting him on the spot thusly. It was selfish of me to cause him such discomfort

"You don't have to tell me if you wish not to," I insisted far too eagerly, wishing to give him a last chance to opt out. He too had to choose the abyss. But he met my eyes with determination, mixed with some unfathomable thought.

"I'm afraid that this requires a bit of an extended explanation," he began, glancing momentarily downward at the table, as if he were unsure how to proceed. "You see, when you left my office…"

"And why were you acting so – so – harsh – today when I was in your office?" I quickly interrupted. He glanced at me, almost mockingly, though it was layered with too much weight to truly be jovial.

"Would you rather I answer that question first?" he inquired patiently. I sighed, irritated by my own discourtesy.

"No – I'm sorry. Please continue," I said, shaking my head at myself. He seemed to be staring past me as he recalled what had transpired to lead us here to this occasion.

"As I was saying," he continued, "after you departed my office, I found myself - on edge, and as I stared out the window trying to rein myself back in, I saw you, marching across the lawn towards the woods, even though there was clearly a storm massing over the lake. I'm really not quite sure what came over me, but I – I wanted to know that you would make it back safely." He looked up at me curiously. "What were you doing out there?" he asked me, his expression filled with puzzlement. Even had I wanted to hide the truth I doubted I could do so beneath his bewildering gaze. His eyes to me were almost like a truth serum.

"I go there sometimes – when I need to reflect," I explained quietly. "It's the only place in this city that I've ever really found silence – that I can be alone with my own thoughts – that I can - as I said before - reflect peacefully." I responded with utmost sincerity.

"Curious," he whispered, gazing at me as though he were looking for something in my expression, dissatisfaction appearing, although well concealed, when he didn't seem to find what he sought. I encouraged him to continue with a nod. He inhaled deeply before continuing his explanation.

"So as the rain began, I watched, yet still you were nowhere to be seen. Then, as darkness fell," his eyes had glazed over as he stared into the distance, "there was still no trace of you. I had almost decided to go search for you myself when you finally reemerged from the woods, looking like you had just survived something akin to a bear attack."

"I fell," I corrected him. His gaze pulled from the distance to meet mine for brief moment of acknowledgement before he continued.

"I had to know what had happened to you. Thank you for giving me clarity on that just now," He said, although I could not tell whether or not he was being facetious. "I left my office as quickly as my stride could carry me but by the time I had exited the building, you were almost too far ahead of me for me to see you. I simply wanted to make sure you were alright you see, and so, knowing you were likely headed for dormitory row, I decided to cut behind the engineering building in an attempt to close the gap. After I took my shortcut, but still could not find any trace of you, I presumed I had been wrong about your destination, and almost turned back. Then – I heard the laughter. I wasn't sure what was happening at first, until I heard your voice – your panic." He said, anger flaring wildly across his face. "I came around the building to see them surrounding you and I…" he paused for a moment, as his breath seemed to catch in his throat. When he resumed his voice seemed to waiver unsteadily, "Well, I suppose you know the rest of the tale, although I must admit, it was difficult for me to walk away from those monsters." His eyes glanced up at me, burning with a fiery rage the likes of which I had never imagined gracing them. His reaction was so unexpectedly severe, but after a moment of meeting my concerned gaze, his expression began to soften, a weak smile even returning to his lips.

"Thank you. For rescuing me I mean," I said, although there were several things that still bothered me. Clearly seeing my mind hard at work, he glanced at me expectantly.

"You're welcome," he said seeming apprehensive.

"So you followed me?" I asked. He paused for a moment, inhaling deeply, his shoulders rising with his frame. He looked up from his hands, which lay on the table a few inches in front of mine, and met me dead in the eyes.

"Yes," he whispered, guilt clearly written across his face. I understood the reaction that I rationally should have experienced upon discovering that he had followed me. I should have felt repulsed, offended, or perhaps even violated. Yet I was incapable of feeling any of the reactions that I logically knew I should be having. Instead, I felt flattered. Nevertheless, I still found myself puzzled entirely by what the source of his curiosity had been in the first place.

"But – Why?" I asked, confused. He seemed puzzled by my response.

"I already told you why?" He seemed to ask, based upon his inflection.

"No – I mean why did you care?" He stared at me bewildered, as though I had just asked the most appalling question he had ever heard.

"I'm – afraid I don't understand," He admitted clearly baffled.

"Well it's just – You didn't seem to care at all today in the office, and…"

"I care Bella," He insisted intensely, his eyes blazing gloriously.

"Do you?" I asked accusatorily, raising a skeptical eyebrow at him. I could still remember his frozen lifeless face and even now with him sitting before me, gloriously flawless, I could see no reason as to why he _should_ care.

"Don't be absurd Bella," he said bitterly. I glared at him expectantly.

"So you're saying you do care?" I stated bluntly, almost pesteringly. He seemed to be avoiding something, and now that my curiosity had been unleashed, its hunger was practically insatiable.

"Obviously," he whispered, his voice conveying an undeniable sincerity. He cared. He cared about me. I felt lighter, as though my body were filling with helium and I were about to float away, and my mind turned over more rapidly than a hamster wheel. He cared. But if he truly cared as he claimed, then why on earth was he behaving so erratically?

"But you never answered my second question," I prompted. "Why were you so – awful – today? And actually ever since you spoke with Carlisle. Does that have something to do with it? You appeared to be very – frustrated? " I asked.

"Wait you saw me speaking with Carlisle?" he asked, his eyes wide, his body going tense as he straightened up in the seat. Uh oh. I had forgotten that Edward had been unaware that I had seen his heated conversation with his father. I quickly scrambled together an explanation.

"I mean – I didn't hear anything, but I saw you two speaking the day that you took me to his office and…" I noticed his expression had relaxed a bit, clearly satisfied that I had heard nothing. He raised his hand gesturing for me to stop.

"It has nothing to do with Carlisle, and everything to do with me." He said, a despondent expression creeping across his features. His eyes bored into me as if beseeching me to hear his innermost thoughts through the space between us. His expression was hesitant, and tense. He inhaled deeply again and sighed powerfully across the table. I felt my chest tighten once again, awaiting whatever he was about to tell me, whatever had caused his behavior.

"Bella you have to understand," He began, his warm eyes holding mine, "I'm…," he hesitated, "I'm not allowed to be…," he paused, closing his eyes momentarily, the words becoming caught in his throat as though he were unsure exactly how to articulate his thoughts, before opening them once more, " _friends –_ with you," he gulped, "and I'm afraid that I would very much like to be." He finished practically in a whisper. I was simultaneously stunned, blissfully happy, bewildered, and very much confused. "I may still be a student," he continued intensely, "But as a teaching assistant, it's against the rules you see, for me to fraternize with any of my students. Yet, I still found myself consorting with you, wishing to be in your presence. Alice had already heard me talk of you many times, and has on many occasions told me that I'm being ridiculously overcautious. Carlisle had heard her speak of you and so that day in his office, he pulled me aside..."

"And told you that you couldn't be friends with me," I whispered glumly, a numbness beginning to spread through me. Edward shook his head slowly in my direction.

"No. Carlisle would do nothing of the sort. He told me that he would support me no matter what decisions I made, something I already knew. He simply felt obligated to remind me exactly what choice I had to make, and what the ramifications of those choices would be. See, there are dire consequences should I be caught breaking the rules, and being a member of my family comes with its own set of – challenges. My family has a rather unfortunate amount of renown, especially at Lakefront, which means that we tend to fall under a great deal scrutiny. Alice alone has been in Lakefront's tabloid more times than she cares to admit and…"

"Wait, hold on. Lakefront has a Tabloid?" I asked, my face contorted in disbelief. Edward sighed, raising a flawless eyebrow.

"Unfortunately so. Alice and I are two of their most preferred topics of fabrication. What it ultimately means is that the chances of my malfeasance being discovered are significantly more unfavorable than most. Carlisle simply sought to remind me of these facts. He just wanted to be sure my decision was informed." He finished, gazing absently across the room. There was something in his explanation that simply didn't add up in my mind.

"I'm afraid I don't understand. If you could get in so much trouble, why are you here right now?" I asked hesitantly. He glanced up at me intently.

"Because I want to be," he replied smoothly. His reply was simply unfathomable. He wanted to be here with me. He wanted to be friends with me. I turned his words over in my head momentarily before a question escaped my lips without my consent.

"So – are we friends then?" I asked, dumbfounded by my own foolish confidence. He hesitated for a moment, digesting my question, before glancing at me with uncertainty.

"I'm not really sure. I believe the answer to that question is dependent on you." He gazed at me almost eagerly. I paused for a moment, soaking in the mood of the moment, for I felt my answer would determine whether or not he followed the reckless path that he had laid before us.

"If the decision is mine to make, then – yes – we're friends." I said smiling at him.

"Excellent," he whispered, a miraculous smile lighting his face. At that moment Angelo reappeared, glancing at the smile being exchanged between Edward and me with distaste. He hid it well.

"Is there anything else I can get for you this evening?" He asked, his mask of courtesy well practiced.

"No sir. I believe the check would suffice," Edward responded graciously. Angelo handed him an envelope and without even opening it Edward pulled a bill from his black leather wallet and slid it between the pages handing it directly back to him.

"Keep the change," he said with a nod. You could see the strain on the servers face to contain his clear excitement at the massive tip he had certainly just received.

"Thank you. Have a lovely evening you two," he said with not an ounce of resentment in his tone.

Edward was up in a flash, having sped around to my side of the table to pull my chair out for me, offering me his hand graciously. I took it willingly, feeling his incredible strength as he helped me up from my chair. He was both handsome and gentlemanly. A more incredible man I doubted existed in the entire city, if not the entire world. He smiled at me with elated luster, and I couldn't help the redness that rose to my cheeks.

"You look lovely," He said with blazing eyes, despite my knotted, tangled hair, and disheveled appearance sporting a jacket several sizes too large for me.

"Oh shut up," I chuckled at him as we walked out the door.

We proceeded down the bright and busy streets of the loop in silence, gazing ever upward towards the gleaming towers of light, and twinkling stars. It was in no way an awkward or empty silence as frequently happened between people. But neither was it a warm and comfortable silence as I frequently shared with Angela on our walks around campus, although I did rather enjoy those moments with her. No, this was something altogether different. It was filled with a vibrant, mystical energy that that felt almost overwhelming in its power. It was as though something moved through the small space between us, holding us in place. It was the same mysterious force that I had felt earlier in the evening when his shoulder had brushed against mine. It was something intangible, yet powerfully solid, something that seemed to sing to me through the air, filling the silence entirely with its presence. That was what struck me the most about it. Was it truly silence if you could still hear song? Edward glanced down at me, his golden eyes reflecting the dancing lights of the street, and I felt my heart rate climb as I was ensnared by his gaze. The song grew louder.

Somehow the walk to the train station seemed shorter than it had when we were headed to dinner, and as the train pulled into the station, I followed Edward inside. He gestured for me to take a seat, and I slid over until I was firmly against the glass of the window. Edward took his place beside me, and the train began accelerating, the city lights blurring by faster and faster until the towering structures were all far behind us. I noticed again that our hands had barely a gap between them in the space between where we sat. Edward was looking down at our hands as I was, studying them carefully in his gaze. His posture seemed rigid, almost reluctant. I had only just begun to contemplate why that could be, when I felt his fingertips begin to slide gently over the top of my hand. My heart jumped wildly in my chest, my stomach fluttering frantically, and my breathing hitched slightly as the energy that connected us exploded from a light song into an overwhelming chorus. His hand lightly cupped my own, contouring to its shape, holding it ever so delicately. He looked back up at me, and I met his gaze willingly. His mouth was ever so slightly agape so that I could feel his breath across my cheek. He pursed his lips together, pulling his hand from mine. Every ounce of my being wanted to protest, to demand he return his hand at once, but he pulled his entire arm backwards and over my head before ever so slowly, his gaze full of hesitation, draping his arm across my shoulder. My heart was beating like a pounding drum in my chest and my breath burst forth, causing me to exhale powerfully. His hand wrapped around my shoulder, his fingers caressing me lightly through the leather of his jacket. His eyes watched me intently, gauging my reaction with scrutiny. After a few moments I allowed my head to fall against his shoulder, and I could see in my periphery the slight smile that spread across his face. He pulled me in against the side of his body, which felt solid and powerful against me. I could feel the rise and fall of him as he breathed, slightly unevenly I had thought for a moment before he again distracted me, caressing my other arm with his thumb. And as before, there was the same powerfully mysterious energy surrounding us, flowing between us like some sort of human magnetism, heating the space about us with a mesmerizing hum of electricity. It held me steadfastly against him, something to which I had no objections. We stayed that way for an innumerable number of minutes, until the train slowly ground to a halt at our station. I lifted my head reluctantly from his shoulder, clearing my throat and stood glancing around the empty car, regaining awareness of my surroundings.

"Shall we," he said gesturing to the exit, his typically velvet voice rough. I smiled lightly at him, still resonating with song. As we stepped out of the station, proceeding down the stairs, I turned to face him, wishing the train ride could have lasted for all of eternity. I was all too aware of him in this moment to willingly allow him to leave. I knew however, that I must.

"Well, thank you for dinner tonight." I said softly. His eyes burned me.

"You're most certainly welcome," he replied gently.

"Goodnight Edward," I said with a sigh. He looked at me as though my words had been an absurdity, and raised an eyebrow at me.

"Do you truly believe after what occurred earlier tonight that I'm going to let you wonder across campus alone?" He asked, smiling at me dumbfounded. "I intend to deliver you straight to your front door and not a step less." He said firmly. Normally I would have argued with him, reminded him that I was a fully capable adult, but I quickly stopped myself, wishing to have as much time with him as I possibly could on this magical evening of music and electricity.

The walk to my dormitory was a short one. Upon entering the glass door Edward seemed to look about him absorbing every detail of the hallway that he possibly could.

"In my freshman year," he began, "I was in building six right across the way," he said, a reflective expression crossing his face. I smiled at him, before turning into the stairwell. He took two stairs for my every one and so by the time I reached the third floor he had far passed me. He leaned against the railing, grinning down at me playfully, like a gorgeous guardian angel. I opened the door to the common room, avoiding the pizza boxes and masses of pillows and blankets that had been left strewn about. Clearly some of the girls on my floor had not done their share of the tidying. Edward shot me a questioning glance.

"Girls," I told him. He nodded as if understanding completely what I meant by that single word. After walking down my hallway I stopped before the door of my dormitory, inhaling deeply before turning around to face him.

"Well, um – This is me. Three-oh-six." I sighed, greedily wishing there was a way that I could have more time with him.

"Quaint," he responded sarcastically. He sighed as well. Suddenly an idea struck me like a thunderbolt.

"You could come in – hang out – if you wished," I said tensely. He seemed to consider it momentarily before his eyes met mine.

"You have a roommate I presume?" I felt as though I were a balloon that had just be released from a child's grip, and was now deflating rapidly while sputtering about the room.

"Oh – Right – Jessica." I began sounding defeated, "I could see how, given our situation that would be an issue."

"Unfortunately yes," he responded with a hefty sigh. I felt myself fracturing along the seams, wishing that he did not have to depart me so quickly, wishing desperately for more time. I knew that it was a request that would not be granted.

"Well then, I'll see you around." I whispered.

"And I you," he responded, in a whisper that could have been mistaken as song.

Without warning he leaned forward, raising his arms until they were wrapped firmly around my back. I could feel his powerful biceps against my shoulders, and I wrapped my arms around his waist. Moving a hand to the small of my back, he closed the small gap between us with one subtle pull against my body, resting his nose against the top of my head, burying it in my hair, and pulling my face into his shoulder. Where our bodies pressed against each other it felt like the rays of a dozen suns on a hot summer day in the desert. So potent was the warmth that I could have basked in it for hours. After a few moments, he pulled his face from my hair, his eyes meeting mine with an intensity that I had not even believed scarcely possible. It was like his eyes were a sirens call pulling me forward, and my face tilted instinctively upwards towards his. The magnetism was back, drawing me closer toward him, and he began to lower his head towards mine, his eyes rolling down my face as he leaned towards me until there was scarcely an inch between us. My breathing had stopped, and my heart pounded so loudly in my chest I feared it would burst. I could feel his warm breath across my lips, and I yearned to allow the energy to flow between us. He gasped suddenly, shaking his head back and forth, throwing his hands over his face and taking a step back from me.

"Damnit Edward!" he exclaimed. His chest rose and fell rapidly, as he huffed into his hands. I stared at him bewildered, unsure of what had come over me, or what had just happened. I stood stunned in the doorway. He dropped his hands from his face gazing at me, his eyes wild.

"Are you alright?" I asked, concerned about whatever had just struck him.

"I have to go. Goodnight Bella," he said, spinning quickly and striding from the common room before I even had a chance to respond. What on earth had just happened? I stood staring at the spot where he had just been, mere inches away from me, alone in the hallway, wearing his jacket.

After a moment of stunned silence, I turned and placed my key in my door, entering the room as quietly as possible, for it was late and I did not wish to wake Jessica. I removed his jacket from my body as it was unnecessary in the heat. It smelled of pine and moist earth just as he did, and from a single whiff I felt another surge of electric song embrace me. How would I explain why I was in possession a man's leather jacket to Jessica in the morning? I opened my closet quickly, folded the jacket neatly and tossed it into a random drawer of clothes. It seemed unlikely that she would find it there. Then I quickly changed into pajamas and curled myself into my bed.

I almost felt lightheaded from how quickly my thoughts raced. My heart had still not returned to its resting rate, and confusion swept through my mind like a gale. But that was not the most peculiar thing that I was aware of lying there in my bed. It was pitch black, and I was entirely unable to see anything around me save for the small crack of light that outlined the doorway to our room from the hallway. Yet in the darkness, the mysterious energy still surrounded me, not just filling the world with music, but also seeming to illuminate the blackness with a faint glow of color so beautiful that it seemed to move through my very soul. I felt so blissful basking in its glow that I couldn't help but smile warmly to myself. But what could this strange phenomenon, this energy of sorts, this energy that I had only previously experienced in Edward's presence possibly be? I put my mind to the task of identifying the unknown, but there seemed to be no logical explanation for the phenomenon. It was something that I was able to hear in the silence. Something I had felt on the train ride home. Something I could see with the lights out, visible as brightly as daylight even in the dark. Realization struck me like the blast of a cannon piecing the blackness of the night. I felt my eyes widen in the darkness, and my body went rigid, as a wave of shock rolled over me. I suddenly understood what it was, what the mysterious energy that felt as though it were magnetic fire had been. I couldn't initially bring myself to think the words. It felt like absolute lunacy. I simply did not wish to accept the truth. I did not wish to allow myself to accept my undeniable realization, but I knew that the truth was entirely indubitable. I knew what it was. I was in love. I was in love with Edward Cullen.


	9. Chapter 9

Love. How in the world could I be in love? I had only just met Edward barely more than a month ago. The very notion of being in love with him was absolutely insane, and yet, I could not fight the truth of my realization, even in the morning light. Was it absolutely preposterous? Undoubtedly so. But just as preposterous as it was, it was equally, if not more so, irrefutable. It was undeniably something else as well: a catastrophe. How was one supposed to maintain a healthy friendship, or at least as healthy as a friendship could be in our predicament, if one of the friends was madly enamored with the other? Of course I would be cursed to a life of unrequited love. Then again, when the object of my affection was a man as flawless and chivalrous as Edward, there was simply no way possible for it not to be unrequited. He was absurdly handsome, unequaled in his magnanimity, unquestionably intelligent, and intrinsically popular. I on the other hand was delightfully mediocre, apparently unable to pass even a basic general education class such as biology, and rather all-around unsociable. I had known from the beginning of the entire ordeal that if I allowed myself to continue to partake in such foolish behaviors, something such as this would transpire. But falling in love with him had never crossed my mind in the slightest. It seemed my freshman year would continue to consist of me making one foolish mistake after the other, in as rapid a succession as I could maintain.

The day crawled by slowly, as I went through my usual motions, passing the time, counting the minutes until I would again be able to gaze upon his face, to be in the presence of the one I loved. It still sickened me to think the word. It felt almost as though the word were dirty, or uncouth when I thought it to myself. The sluggish pacing of my day was made even less tolerable by the fact that Jessica had left campus after her classes had concluded for the day in order to visit her brother in California. Upon realizing that Jessica would be unable to preoccupy me, I had resolved to see if Angela would be interested in any evening activities. I was all too aware of my need for the distraction, but she too had prior obligations, hers with the Audio-Visual club yet again. It was a mystery that Jessica had been tossing around for a few weeks now. Jessica seemed to be under the impression that Angela had a certain distaste for the audio-visual club, which made it all the more intriguing that she had been spending so much time there as of late. I allowed myself to ruminate on the topic for a while, as it provided a welcome distraction from my thoughts of Edward, but eventually even that was unable to hold my interest, and so I resigned to lay in bed staring at the ceiling, listening to my favorite Stephanie Taylor album.

Her music had always been so personal to me. She seemed to think in a similar fashion to myself and sometimes it was comforting to feel like I had a friend who understood exactly how I felt, even if it was, in reality, a person that I had never met. Upon pressing play however, I found that today the album was having the opposite effect of what I desired. The first song was an gentle one, about the frail nature of relationships, of being fearful of saying too much, of longing for that other persons company. It struck far too close to home for comfort as I lay on top of my sheets, and so I skipped to the next song. That song, which a had a preachy, almost underground church choir sound, was about love driving her crazy, and becoming addicted to the man of her affections in a way similar to that of an illicit substance. That song too did nothing but cause my thoughts to careen wildly away from me, and so I elected to instead settle for an album of traditional Jazz standards, which brought my imagination hazily back to stone walls, Chicago pizza, and heartwarming smiles. I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep until I awoke the next morning, fully clothed, with music still blaring in my ears. My phone had rotated back to the Stephanie Taylor album, playing a song about a man so perfect that he caused her nothing but indignation at her unsatiated desire. I ripped the buds from my ears and threw them carelessly onto my desk in frustration, before rolling myself stiffly out of bed and walking into the steamy warmth of the shower.

I anxiously awaited that afternoon's Biology lecture, though I scarcely knew what to expect. Things had ended on such as strange note after our dinner that I hadn't the slightest idea how Edward would behave towards me. I remembered what Alice had told me at the Kappa gala several weeks prior and felt as though I now understood what she had meant when she had called her brother skittish. Even in my state of quandary I felt rather certain about two things. Firstly, I knew that Edward and I had mutually agreed that we were friends, so I felt certain that no matter what course of action he decided to take moving forward, it would not be a hostile one. Secondly, I knew that there was nothing my mind desired greater than to again find myself in his presence.

I walked through the cool autumn air, my cardigan wafting behind me in the breeze, a smile planted firmly on my face in spite of the tightness of my apprehension. I had become accustomed to its inhibiting grasp on my chest, and the more time I spent with Edward, the less the anxiety that he engendered seemed to impair me.

Upon entering the lecture hall, I scanned the room instinctively, searching for the marvelous smile for which my heart felt so fondly. I found him sitting once again at the desk on the corner of the stage, rummaging through papers, almost exactly as he had appeared in our previous class. I surmised that he likely had a great quantity of work throughout the semester. After all, it was the teaching assistant's job to manage all of the paperwork.

I sat down in my seat next to Angela as usual, patiently awaiting the moment he would notice my presence and smirk at me playfully before resuming his work. But just as in our previous class, that moment never came. He never looked up from his desk as he toiled diligently over the endless stacks of paperwork. I felt a twinge of fear pull at my heart, and inhaled deeply, reminding myself that it was simply his job to work with such efficiency, that there was nothing to fear.

When he stood to perform roll call, I still had a sliver of hope that when he called my name, he would acknowledge me wordlessly with his glorious eyes, that he would give me some indication that he had meant every word that he had said to me over our dinner, that he _cared._ However, upon reaching my name on the list, he again called for Isabella Swan, without looking up from his paperwork, and marked me as present upon my lifeless reply, making no effort to acknowledge me whatsoever. I could barely fight back the feeling that I was beginning to collapse inward upon myself, and I felt as though a million tiny fractures were chipping their way violently through my core. I fought relentlessly to remain composed, as I recalled the dilemma that he had shared with me at the restaurant: that he was technically unable to befriend me, or fraternize with me in any capacity. I was, after all, his student. I attempted to seek comfort in this thought, but serenity did not find its way to me. Instead, as he continued to focus fervently on his work, I was left with an ever increasing feeling of hollowness. It felt almost as though I had been submerged in a pool filled to the brim with nothing but broken shards of glass, their jagged edges scraping over every inch of my body. I felt certain that he had been honest with me, that he sought a balance, a way to allow us to maintain a friendship, but I was unable to escape the feeling that I was in some way being strung along. Even if it was merely a concoction of my own imagination, it was a sensation that I was unsure I would be able to survive.

Upon Professor Banner dismissing the class, I sprang from my seat without hesitation and rapidly began to make my way towards the door on the other side of the auditorium, the one which led down the bland corridor to his office, leaving Angela stunned behind me. He kept his head down, almost as though he were avoiding my gaze, which I realized meant he would be unlikely to see my approach. I reached the door moments before him, stepping in front of his path of egress. His eyes darted up to mine, his expression of shock quickly painted over with frozen detachment.

"Ms. Swan," he said frigidly, glancing downward at his paperwork, his voice barely audible as the remainder of the students fled the room.

"Why?" I practically whispered, looking at him frantically. He looked up at me, his expression frozen again. I could see some undefined emotion swimming below the surface of his eyes. I was determined to reach it.

"I beg your pardon?" He asked.

"Why are you acting like this?" I asked softly, desperately. The room had been almost entirely vacated, but I was still aware of straggling, foreign ears.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about Ms. Swan," he responded, still frozen. I was entirely unsure of how to proceed. I felt as though if I were too gentle, my opportunity to speak with him, to gain understanding, would simply slip away before me. The only option that remained, I realized, was to bluntly confront him.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." I replied in a whispered hiss. His eyes widened ever so slightly. The ice was beginning to thaw, the perfectly carved marble of his statuesque face beginning to reanimate.

"I'm afraid I don't," he practically whispered, his eyes thawing entirely through. He glared at me imploringly.

"Please Edward," I whispered, "I need to speak with you, even if it's only for a moment." I stared at him, baring my soul as best I could in my expression. "Please," I whispered. His face turned softer, warmer, his eyes glancing nervously about the classroom.

"I don't believe that would be wise," He responded, his expression reluctant.

"Damnit, Please!" I exclaimed slightly too loudly. My eyes shot anxiously about the room, but nobody seemed to notice my outburst, as even in my frustrated state of desperation it had barely been above a whisper. His eyes narrowed at me venomously as he took in those around us, yet I could see the bemusement in his face, along with something else distorted there. Of what it was I was entirely unsure.

"Perhaps," he began hesitantly, as though he were unsure of what he wanted to say, "instead of sending yourself into a frenzy, you should simply find a place to reflect," he said softly, his voice like velvet. His eyes shone dazzlingly down at me. I raised an eyebrow at him questioningly. He winked at me subtly. I nodded in sudden understanding of his implication and turned away from him, proceeding quickly out the rear of the lecture hall.

I exited the building, cutting to the left across the wide lawn towards the overgrown path which lead into the forest, the familiar pressure of apprehension squeezing at my chest. The woods were pointedly more colorful than they had been even a few days prior, as noticeable blotches of gold, brilliant oranges, and deep shades of fiery crimson had begun to infiltrate the greenery. Moments later I emerged along the wide, expansive shore of the lakefront. A cool breeze blew from the water, and the sun laid its rays gently upon my back. I would have considered it perfection had I not been so completely filled with apprehension. My thoughts swam violently as I considered the purpose of his behavior. Perhaps attempting such a heedless friendship as ours was simply impractical. Perhaps I should simply withdraw from Biology. It would remove the dangerous temptation of my friendship from his mind, and even if it failed to do that, he would have no way of finding me around campus. I suddenly realized that withdrawing could potentially solve every dilemma introduced by our scenario, simply by dissolving our scenario all together. Every dilemma except for the fact that I was madly in love with him, which made the thought of not seeing him every week, even if I was simply seeing his aloof, frozen face, unimaginably painful. I could not willingly inflict that quantity of pain upon myself. I did not know that I would be able to survive it. Even if I could survive the agony, I realized that it ultimately wouldn't help our cause. If we continued to be friends, yet it were later discovered that our fraternization had begun while I was still his student, even a withdrawal would not be able to save us from the consequences.

I stared out across the water for an immeasurable length of time, waiting, listening to the sloshing of the waves and the rustling of the leaves in the cool breeze. It would have been comforting had I not begun to worry that Edward had changed his mind and decided not to come at all. I had almost decided to leave, to wander home aimlessly, to release all hope at ever gaining clarity, when I heard the light crunch of footsteps approaching me from behind. I turned my head to gaze behind me from where I sat. His bronze hair glowed gloriously in the sunlight against the backdrop of the vibrantly colored leaves and greenery. He wore a rust colored sweater which, as most of his clothes seemed to, clung tightly to the perfect mold of his body. Even now, in my befuddled mental state, he still stuck me like a wrecking ball. He casually strolled over beside to me, dropping down to a squatting position on my right side, and sat down on the grass next to me, mere inches separating us. He stared silently across the water. I exhaled deeply.

"For a minute there I thought you weren't coming," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, glancing at him from the corner of my eye. He glanced back in my direction.

"Now why on earth would I do that?" He said, his bronze hair ruffling in the wind, the sunshine making it seem to shimmer.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Ms. Swan," I repeated back to him, mimicking his deadened expression. He appeared to cringe as his own words lashed out at him from my mouth. He inhaled the cool air deeply, releasing a prolonged sigh.

"I just – I don't understand. I didn't think that after the other night you would continue to be so…" I began, gazing in his direction, but he cut me off quickly before I could finish my train of thought.

"Horrid? Terrible? Undeserving?" He finished for me, dropping his forehead to his knees.

"No of course not," I responded instantly.

"It's alright Bella. You don't have to lie to me," he said softly into his knees. I turned my head away fighting the claws that were raking at my insides. I had not meant to upset him. I simply wanted to understand him, to help him, and yet, I was causing him to suffer. It was unforgivable.

"Bella, I – I don't know what I'm doing. I figured that if I kept my distance, perhaps I could gain some clarity, and so, last week I requested that Professor Banner give me a week of permitted absence from teaching. Though he hadn't the slightest idea why I had asked, he knew me well enough to know I would only have made the request if I had truly needed it. But the distance did nothing but confuse me further, and so I resolved to drive you away, to make you so repulsed by me that you would never desire my presence again. But I found it far too difficult to upset you. I realized after our time together in the city, that I couldn't drive you away. That I didn't want to drive you away. I realized it would be nearly impossible. Yet, I'm still quite unsure how to handle myself in your presence. I'm trying to find balance, when there is nothing for me to balance on. I'm not teetering precariously on the tip of a pin Bella, I'm hanging fully off of a cliff. I'm so sorry Bella," his eyes burned intensely, gloriously into mine. "I don't know what I'm doing," he reiterated solemnly. I yearned to reach out and touch his cheek, to comfort him, to forgive him unconditionally for anything he had done to harm me. "All I know is that it's worth it," he practically whispered, burning with a passion I had only seen in him once before.

The enchanting melody of the familiar song was beginning to filling the silence, the warm glow of the colors returning to fill the shadows, the powerful yet unseen magnetism seeming to hold us together as we gazed at each other, separated by mere inches of space. I could feel the energy flowing between us, filling me, as my heart raced within my chest. Still, behind the song, I felt the anxiety of uncertainty. It was almost as though I was beginning to suffer from whiplash due to the celerity of his mood swings. I could never be certain which Edward was going to be in front of me at any given time, and the apprehension of not knowing was becoming increasingly overwhelming with each passing moment. Still, I could not deny the magnetism that filled the air, or the song that filled the silence.

"Edward," I began with a sigh, simultaneously desiring understanding, and yet, hopelessly longing for him, "I can't keep up with you."

"What do you mean," he asked, an expression of mild bemusement gracing his face.

"One moment, you're doing things that are borderline reckless, just because you want to spend time with me, to be my friend..." I said, attempting to hold my focus as his gaze softened and intensified. I could feel my heart beginning to drum in my ears beneath the tenderness of his expression. "... and the next moment - it's as if you've been frozen," I finished in a whisper. He continued staring intently at me, his brow furled with the effort of handling some internal difficulty that I could not begin to comprehend. He did not respond, although it seemed as though he wanted to, as though there were something that he could not say.

"Edward," I began, barely able to choke out the words for my breathing was so inhibited by the intensity of his gaze. "What do you want from me?" I asked softly. I felt the iron grip of fear closing around me but I knew it was too late to reverse my trajectory. I had asked my question, and now I knew I must hear the answer, regardless of what it may be. Only the sound my own racing heartbeat filled the silence. Edward stared at me, something unfathomable painting his expression, burning in his eyes.

"Everything," he whispered, his voice trembling, before he leaned forward slowly without hesitation, closing the last few inches of space between us and gently placed his perfect lips upon mine. A swarm of butterflies seemed to flutter throughout the entirety of my being, the song that surrounded us began to crescendo with a power I had previously never imagined, and the flow of electric energy exploded between us like lightning. I allowed myself to feel the booming thunder roll through my body in waves, and was struck with unimaginable force as his hand moved to my cheek, leaving a trail of pleasurably searing heat behind the path of his fingers. I pressed my lips back into his with a desire that I now realized I had been suppressing since the first time I had laid eyes upon him. I felt as though I had spent my entire life starving, and now, upon having my first taste of sustenance, I was ravenously hungry. We moved effortlessly in unison, burning tenfold more brightly than the sun which shone upon us. His fingers wove their way delicately into my hair, pulling me inward towards him more fervently, and my hand found its way upwards to his cheek, at long last feeling the perfection of his face beneath my fingertips. After what had likely only been a few seconds at most, though it felt far longer, he pulled his lips away from mine ever so slightly, resting his forehead and nose, against mine. I could feel the frantic pace of his breathing, for he was practically panting down the front of my shirt, and my own heart beat deafeningly in my ears. I opened my eyes into his, their golden depths still burning with a fiery passion, though they were so close that they were out of focus. I did not care, for this moment was the most flawless I had experienced in my entire life, and I wanted to keep every detail for myself.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he whispered, his breathing still heavy and rapid. I smiled at him euphorically.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for you to," I whispered back. His returning smile was exultant. He pulled back suddenly, looking me intently in the eyes.

"Bella, we have to be careful. We can't cast any suspicion. It could be just as bad for you as It could for me. It would appear to be nepotism, which could certainly place you on probation," he said intensely. I realized in that moment I didn't care in the least bit what the consequences for myself would be.

"But what about you? Could you end up on probation as well?" I asked anxiously. He paused for a moment, staring at the ground.

"I'm afraid that would be the least of my worries. I would lose my job almost certainly. Banner wouldn't hesitate firing me. The only reason he chose me to begin with was to get in better favor with Carlisle. But I suppose the school could likely take it farther. I could lose any chance at teaching ever again. They could withhold my medical license, or refuse to present me with my doctorate. They could even expel me, or at least Carlisle warned me that they could. That is why caution is so important." He said gazing at me again.

I couldn't look at him. I couldn't allow him to destroy his life for me, to throw away everything that he wanted from his future. If I truly loved him, then I could not allow him to dispose of his ambitions so impetuously. I felt my windpipe close in my throat as I felt my resolve stiffen around the decision that would seal my fate.

"No." I whispered, frozen in horror at what I knew that I must do.

"Bella, you have to understand…" I cut him off.

"I have to leave." I whispered. He stared at me in bewilderment. "I'll withdraw from the class, I can take it again later on."

"Bella, don't be absurd," He said, an edge of alarm in his voice. "That would set you back a semester, for graduation and for…"

"It doesn't matter Edward," I said, attempting to keep my voice from trembling noticeably. "What does matter is that you'll never have to see me again, never again have to face the temptation. You can still achieve everything you've ever wanted with no risk." His eyes were wider than I had ever seen them.

"Bella," he whispered, his voice cracked and rough. "Bella – please don't do this," He stared at me imploringly.

"You can't throw your life away. It isn't worth the consequences." I whispered, choking on my own words, fighting as hard as I could to keep myself from collapsing.

"Bella, no," He said, his voice quivering.

"Goodbye Edward," I said, fighting back the liquid flood that threatened to overrun my eyes. I felt my body shaking violently in protest of what I was attempting to do,

"I'll miss you," I whispered, climbing unsteadily to my feet. I backed away from him towards the forest, unable to tear myself away from the horror that was smeared across his face. His beautifully angelic face. His expression struck me violently in the chest and I could look him in the eyes no more. I turned hastily away from him, forcing my legs to carry me away into the trees as expeditiously as they could.

"BELLA WAIT!" he shouted after me. His smooth voice was distraught with anguish. Anguish I was causing him for his own good, I reminded myself, for it was the only way that my plan would work, the only way not to destroy everything that he had worked for. I couldn't simply withdraw. I knew that the only way that I could entirely avoid the risk of at some point being traced back to him was to cut all forms of communication with him. To never see him again. To sentence myself to purgatory for the rest of my days. For his happiness, it was worth it.

It was all I could do to continue down the path, to not turn and run to him, to leap into his arms and let him carry me away. But I knew that I couldn't. For his sake. I could not waver from my path, and yet I felt my desire to tell him how I felt holding me back, slowing me as though I were dragging it like an anchor through the mud. If I were truly never to see him again, I had to cut the anchor, and allow myself to move away from him, to be free from the weight of my tether. I had to let it out of myself, and release it to the world. .

"I love you," I whispered into the deafening silence of the trees. A single tear broke through my ironclad dam.

My feet carried me quickly, another spare tear breaking down my cheek as I walked by the faces that stared at me: the crying girl who hurried quickly between them. I was unaware of how long I would be able to maintain my composure, for the power of the coming flood seemed so great. I ran into my building and up the stairs as quickly as my legs could carry me, passing through a confused group of girls in the common room and threw myself through my door the instant I managed to open it. The door had barely closed behind me when my lungs burst. The pain surged forth in the most powerful screaming sob that had ever erupted from me. It felt almost as if my soul were leaving my body through my loud wail, and I was eternally grateful that Jessica was not home to witness my atrocious behavior. I sucked in another lungful of air, choking on it as I inhaled, and released another powerful moaning sob. So forceful was the wave of agony ripping through my body that I began to feel pinpricks across my face, spreading down the length of my body, and I collapsed on the floor as a pain reminiscent of a searing hot knife stabbed into my chest, causing me to writhe, screaming in agony into the short stubbles of the carpet. I felt as though every inch of my body were being crushed under the weight of hundreds of feet of water, and I toiled and screamed for an immeasurable amount of time. The water flooded from my eyes over my blistering cheeks, the burning, numbing cold doing nothing to alleviate the unfathomable agony ripping its way through my body, tossing me this way and that. Each time my mind recalled the image of his pain-stricken face, standing alone by the edge of the lake, I burned in a fresh wave of implosive torture. I knew however, that I would not suffer without purpose. Edward would be able to continue his life uninterrupted by whatever inconvenient feelings he had managed to develop for me. With each stroke of the invisible blade, with each lick of the internal fire, with each wave of excruciating pain, I knew I gave him a chance at an accomplishment, at a better life than what I could give him, at a future worth having. I knew that being truly in love with him, I could not rip all of it away from him, no matter how much suffering it would cause me, and thus I was content to burn.

It was dark outside my window by the time my sorrow had sucked me dry. My face felt cracked and caked from the hours of torturous sobs that had torn through me. I pulled myself from the ground unsteadily, a measure of nausea twisting in my stomach, my knees weak from shock. I took a moment to balance myself before I caught the sight of my reflection in the mirror. I hardly recognized the girl who looked back at me. Her eyes were smeared, stained dark with mascara, her cheeks reddened, her hair knotted and matted. She looked ghastly, as though she had stared hell itself in the face and returned to tell the tale. I began to laugh at myself, not joyously, but out of pity at my own misfortune. It seemed cruel that the single greatest moment of my life was simply a fleeting foreshadowing to the most excruciating. I had had enough of my own reflection. I felt covered in terror and despair, and so I stepped into the shower, allowing the hot steam to washing away my soul, my agony, my future, or at least, the future I finally knew I could have had. I fleetingly wished it would wash my love for Edward away with it, but I quickly realized that despite the misery it would cause me, that was something I would never be able to release for the rest of my days. Nor would I want to, as now there were only two things that remained inside of me: love, and empty numbness. My muscles had ceased their violent tremors. They no longer felt rigid, and stiff, so I fetched a towel, and upon drying off, wrapped myself in it. Upon opening the door, the dry, frigid air from my room washed over me, chilling me to the core. Perhaps it could freeze my heart as well.

I adorned the first pair of old sweatpants I could find in the semi-darkness, only the vanity light still illuminating my living space. I found an oversized old shirt, and with the last amount of effort I had to give, pulled myself onto my bed, face first, allowing myself to be enveloped in deafening darkness. I permitted myself to be consumed by perfect stillness, and perfect blackness for an immeasurable amount of time, my mind devoid of any thought, any craving, or any feeling, hoping that I would simply disappear, to be consumed by the void. Perhaps I was already there, and somehow even in the void it was possible for one to suffer. There was suffering even in nothingness. How could my life be anything other than a void of nothingness, colorless and meaningless? After all, I had sealed my fate. I would never lay eyes on Edward again. His smile was color, his touch was meaning.

I was interrupted by what seemed but a distant echo, a wrapping on my door. I ignored it for a time but as it continued it seemed to draw me out of the black nothingness and back to reality. I had no doubt that it was one of my floor mates, here either to ensure I hadn't actually killed myself, as it had likely sounded from the other side of my door, or to berate me for the excessively embarrassing amount of noise I had produced. I elected to ignore the tapping yet again, and attempted to return to the void. The knocking grew louder after it had briefly paused and after exhaling sharply I pulled myself from my mattress and stumbled across the darkened room, colliding with several invisible objects that were scattered about the floor, swearing loudly in annoyance. I opened the door without looking through the viewfinder, ready to face whatever obnoxious altercation lay on the other side. It couldn't possibly be any more devastating than what I had already endured.

The bright glare of the hallway lights blinded me when I first opened the door, but after rubbing my hands across my eyes I realized that an angel was waiting for me. I inhaled sharply. His cheeks were flushed red, his eyes locking into my mine with a frantic fervor, and his forehead sheen with sweat.

"Is Jessica here?" Edward asked, huffing, his chest rising and falling rapidly as though he had just run a marathon. This had to be hallucination, or perhaps I had fallen asleep and was dreaming of him yet again. What if, even further still, my willpower had worked and I had actually stopped breathing. Could Edward actually be an angel? I shook my head, clearing it of such nonsense, and stared him in the face, wishing to throw myself into his arms, and knowing full well that I could not.

"Edward?" I asked, my shock hardly concealed. It was beyond any elation I thought possible to stand before him again, but immediately I felt a blow strike my chest, as I was consumed by a renewed wave of agony. It took all of my power to refrain from audibly gasping.

"Is she here," he asked, his face full of vigor. I shook my head, hardly able to form a coherent statement.

"No – why?" I asked, likely appearing rather dazed and confused. He closed the space between us in a single stride and his hand found its way to the back of my head faster than a bolt of lightning, his fingers interlacing my hair, as he pulled himself forward to me, pressing his soft, beautiful lips into mine. A jolt of electricity stuck my heart, shattering the icy sorrow that had enveloped it, and without my permission my lips began to move in unison with his. I gasped in a jagged breath, and exhaled it across his lips as I opened my eyes to see him staring at me gloriously. The realization of our exposure came upon me quickly as I glanced up and down the hallway to ensure there had been no witnesses. We were certainly out of view of any bystanders. Still, I would not risk exposing him, and so I grasped the front of his sweater in my fist and pulled him through my door. He gazed at me wide eyed as the door shut behind him, leaving only the light of the vanity to illuminate him, causing half of his face to be shrouded in darkness.

"Edward what are you doing here?" I asked breathlessly. He captured me effortlessly in his astonishing gaze.

"Bella..." he began, his voice thick and rough, though he seemed to have recovered his breath, "...forget everything you said before. Forget everything that you are trying to do for me now. I don't want to be a doctor, I don't want to teach – not nearly the way I want you. I wouldn't want any of those accomplishments if it meant that there would be no chance that you would be present to share them. I've never desired anything in my life the way I desire you." He said, his eyes burning me more powerfully than even my own internal flames were capable of. I felt my heart beat against my ribcage powerfully and my jagged breathing did nothing to pacify it.

"But Edward…" I began, but he raised his hand to my face, resting it upon my cheek, and I felt all of my willpower to resist him crumble beneath his touch.

"Don't," he began softly. "I've thought this through. I want _you_ , and to hell with the consequences," he said, smiling at me longingly. There he stood before me, the most perfect thing I had ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on, and he had chosen me. He wanted _me_! I couldn't help but smile at him as I felt the burning tears attempting to well in my eyes.

"There will be no more of that today," he said softly, brushing his hand under my eye gently. He bent forward wrapping his arms around me, pressing his lips gently to my forehead, pulling my face into the powerful embrace of his chest. There upon turning my head, I heard the beating of a drum. The triumphant beating of his heart. The heart of the man I loved. The heart I wished to hear for the rest of my days. The most beautiful music I had ever heard.


	10. Chapter 10

Pure euphoria. There was no other way to describe his embrace. So long had I yearned for it, so long had his allured pulled me silently towards him, and now, in the subdued glow of the vanity light, I had no intentions of releasing him. His arms locked around me like a vice, strong and powerful, and my head nuzzled into the firm perfection of his sculpted chest, as his lips planted gentle kisses in my hair. I had no idea how long we stood there in that fashion, embracing each other in the near darkness, for time no longer seemed of consequence to me. I would have happily spent the rest of eternity in that moment, frozen in perfect serenity.

"This is better than I ever imagined," He whispered into the recesses of my hair.

"Yes – It is," I whispered into his chest, a question swimming to the forefront of my mind.

"Have – Have you imagined this before?" I asked timidly. He chuckled, the vibrations filling his chest, providing a backdrop to the tempo of his magnificent heartbeat.

"Oh – once or twice," he chuckled. I could envision the breathtaking grin which surely graced his features at that moment, and withdrew my head far enough away from him to confirm my suspicions. I felt pleased with myself for having been correct. He stared down at me in the muted light, his eyes twinkling gloriously. Visions of the numerous occasions on which I had so deeply desired to feel his embrace swam through my mind, and my curiosity began to bubble to the forefront of my consciousness. I realized that upon this occasion, I truly had his company entirely to myself, and therefore could inquire of him anything I wished, supposing I was audacious enough to do so. I glanced up at him, trying my best to hold back an my inquisitive grin.

"When was the first time?" I asked, a coy smile gracing my face.

"The first time that what?" He replied with a smirk.

"The first time you imagined – you and I, I suppose - doing this?" I responded, rolling my eyes at his artful stalling tactics. He paused for a few moments, his features becoming introspective as he contemplated his response. Finally, the edges of his perfect lips tugged upwards just slightly.

"Well," he began, a slight smile gracing his expression, "I suppose the first time the thought _ever_ crossed my mind was probably on the first day of class, though I'll admit it was very fleeting, and I instantly retaliated against it for many reasons, a few of which I would now assume to be obvious." He elucidated. "But then, on the day we performed equipment proficiencies – the day with the scalpels..." he elaborated, glancing down at me as if to see whether or not I recalled. I doubted he comprehended the perfect clarity with which I recalled that day. The hitch of my breath, how my heart had beat wildly in my chest at the unbelievable power of his eyes, the warm humming current of his touch. It was impossible to forget.

"I remember," I whispered into the darkness.

"It was in that instant that I realized that my gravitation towards you was unique and inimitable. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced. From the moment I first touched you, I was instantly aware that you were inescapable for me. As it turns out I was not entirely incorrect. That was the first time I imagined this moment, or a moment such as this one. Although, I must admit I had envisioned the journey to this moment to be slightly different and significantly easier, and I may have initially envisioned a moment rather different than this." He chuckled cheerfully at me, his teeth gleaming even in shadow. "Never had I desired a moment with such intensity as I had that day. At least not up to that point in time." He amended, nodding to himself.

"I still don't understand why," I whispered offhandedly into the air, my gaze out of focus.

"What exactly do you mean?" He shot an eyebrow upward in a flawless arch. I couldn't suppress the anxiety I felt at having to admit to him` what I could now see no way out of telling him.

"Well it's just that – well, look at me – I'm the poster girl for ordinariness, and then look at you," I said, nodding my head in the direction of his flawless figure, both impressively athletic, and impossibly handsome.

"Never before in my life have I had the honor of standing before someone more strikingly prepossessing than yourself," he responded, his voice smooth, his eyes overwhelmingly intense. It was impossible to stop the burning in my cheeks at his generous, yet preposterous words. He smiled gently at the changing coloration of my cheeks, obvious even in the subdued light, and leaned downward, his hand sweeping my hair back from the left side of my face. He pressed his soft lips lightly to the skin of my neck, just below my ear, and his fingers traced lightly over my shoulders. A wave of energy rippled through my system from where his lips touched my skin, stunning me, and causing my heart to beat with renewed vigor. I stared intently at him, my excitement clear in my expression and a satisfied grin crept its way across his perfect features. I took a deep breath attempting to clear my head, which was filled with the aroma of cedar and pine. I recalled something he had mentioned before, something that I had been curious about.

"When you said you imagined a moment such as this one, you said you had envisioned something different?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"I suppose so," he began, his expression turning pensive. "I had just Imagined that I would be able to court you in a far more chivalrous fashion. You deserve far better than the way I have gone about things. " he said with a slight sigh, his gaze meeting mine with blazing intensity. "I must admit however that there are many things about the reality of this moment that have far exceeded my wildest expectations," he said, a playfully provocative grin tugging upward at the edges of his flawless lips.

"Things like what?" I inquired with bashful perplexity, as his expression threatened to overwhelm me.

"Things like his," he replied softly, gently placing a finger beneath my chin, tilting my head upwards toward him before moving his lips to mine. My breath caught almost instantly in my chest, as a rush of delight flowed through my willing body. My lips pressed against his with increased fervor, and he responded to my desire, one of his hands running through my hair, the other ensnaring my waist in a powerful grip. With as little effort as though I were made of nothing but air, he lifted me onto the elevated mattress, and I pulled firmly at his sweater, inviting him forward towards me as my body made apparent months of desire for him. He did not hesitate to provide what I requested, hoisting himself onto the mattress with ease, his skin tight sweater showing off the powerful musculature of his arms. He repositioned himself so that his head rested upon the pillow at the top of my narrow mattress, his right side firmly against the wall, though he had rotated himself slightly towards me. I switched on the lamp at the head of the bed, watching his mesmerizing eyes glow amber beneath the warm light. He was irresistibly handsome, and after having spent so long restraining myself, I could hold back no more. I lunged forward, meeting his lips with a fiery passion that he hastily matched. I held his face between my hands as my lips meshed with his, before sliding my hands downward across his sweater, feeling the powerfully muscular planes of his chest beneath the soft fabric. Muscle that I could feel shift, and contract beneath my fingertips as he moved his hands up the length of my back. I couldn't help but errantly wonder what his incredible musculature must look like if the sweater were to be removed, before he gripped me around the waist firmly yet again, and shifted me so that I was lying next to him on the bed with the side of my body partially on top of his, concavely meshed into him. He gently, yet with sufficient force for me to understand what he desired, tilted my head away from him towards the lamp, and I felt his warm breath across my neck and the exposed skin of my shoulders. Ever so tenderly, he placed his lips against my neck, lightly kissing my skin. A wave of delight surged through my body, as I inhaled jaggedly. His lips moved down my neck, and across my collarbone as far as my clothing would allow, before reversing direction back towards my neck once more. The sensation was unimaginably intense as he executed the maneuver flawlessly. I turned to face him, to stare at his majestic beauty, at his glorious eyes. He smiled at me lustfully, an expression I couldn't help but return. I rotated my body towards him, contouring myself to his side, and placed my head against the firmness of his chest. His heart beat wildly, seeming to jump through the plush fabric of his sweater in his excitement. I couldn't help but grin knowing that I was at least partially responsible. His eyes lit with sudden alarm.

"Will Jessica be home soon?" he asked, propping himself up slightly beneath me so that he could stare wide eyed at the door. A could feel the mass of muscle tighten powerfully beneath my cheek, and found my mind once again envisioning Edward's majesty without the obstructing presence of his sweater. I pushed the thought aside for the time being, instead focusing on the exhilaration of his presence.

"No," I said softly, basking in the warmth I felt within. "She won't be home until tomorrow after class," I mumbled lazily. I felt my eyes becoming heavy. I had nearly forgotten the emotionally exhausting day that I had endured. It all seemed so very long ago while lying in the security of Edward's arms. My lids began to droop, though I fought against them with all of my willpower. I did not want to close my eyes, lest he disappear from beneath me.

"Bella, it's alright," I heard him whisper, as he brushed a strand of my hair away from my face tenderly. "You can sleep if you wish."

"I don't want to," I responded groggily, my body beginning to feel heavier, my mind more sluggish.

"Bella, you're clearly exhausted," he whispered, gently pressing his lips against my forehead.

"Will you still be here?" I managed to ask through my stupor.

"Of course. I'll sleep right here tonight," He whispered gently into my ear.

"Promise?" I asked him through the haze. I felt his arms tighten around me slightly, and I could see the faint outline of a smile on his lips through my barely cracked lids.

"I promise," he whispered, as I was lulled quickly into unconsciousness by the perfect rhythm of his beating heart.

The morning sunlight streamed into my eyes through the window slats. I had forgotten to close the shades the previous evening and I reached for them blindly in my morning stupor. I needed to shut them, as I refused to allow my dream to escape me, the most wonderful dream I had ever had. Edward had come to my door to declare himself to me, and I had spent a glorious amount of time intimately in his presence. It had seemed so incredibly real, and I did not want to lose such an incredible fantasy so soon. I huffed frustrated in my groggy state. I could not reach the blinds, and so reluctantly I sat myself more upright to further extend my range. Something slopped of my back, hitting the pillow behind me with a plop. I spun my head quickly, searching for the origin of the mysterious noise. I had to stifle a yelp of surprise. There on my pillow, in my bed, behind my body, lay the glorious perfection of Edward. I had to still be dreaming. No other explanation seemed logical. Even in the morning, unbathed, unprepared, graced in five o clock shadow and taken by sleep, he still looked unbelievably beautiful. His head was turned towards the wall, drooping slightly in his dreaming state, his bangs low and disheveled across his forehead. I had never woken to a more beautiful sight. I could only imagine what I looked like in the same state, and with that thought, I resolved to sneak out of bed. I could tell by the taste in my mouth that my breath would be less than pleasant, and I knew from previous sightings of myself after freshly awakening that I likely looked like I had survived a tornado.

I slowly crept my way to the edge of the mattress, careful not to make any sudden or jarring movements that might wake Edward, and alert him to my plans. I carefully climbed down the stool to the floor hoping the wood did not creak as loudly as normal. It let out a slight popping noise, and my eyes darted to Edwards face. He continued to sleep motionlessly, not stirring in the slightest at the noise. Feeling proud of my success, I tiptoed my way across the small room into the vanity area. I quickly squeezed out some toothpaste onto my brush, and began quietly brushing my teeth, feeling the minty freshness spread through my mouth with relief. I spit out my toothpaste as quietly as I could and popped in my mouthwash, refusing to gargle for fear of waking him. I rinsed the sink out with ever so slight a trickle of water, grabbed a towel from the linen rack, and crept through the door to the bathroom. I turned on the hot water and felt the refreshing torrent of liquid pour over my body, streaming through my hair, making it thick with weight. The warm steamy air felt spectacular, cleansing my lungs and body of sleepiness. I stepped out of the shower, my thoughts preoccupied with the incredible individual who was currently sleeping in my bed. I wistfully hoped that some of his scent lingered in the pillows and sheets when he departed.

I wrapped myself in the towel after drying, and as noiselessly as possible opened the bathroom door, dashing forward into the uncomfortably cold air.

"Well don't you look alluring," his velvet voice commented from across the room. I instinctively threw my hands across my chest, although the towel was tightly fastened to it, and ducked behind the incredibly small partition between the vanity area and the main room. I stared at him bewildered. His face was adorned with the most enticing smile I had ever seen. It was nearly impossible to stay away from him as he unleashed such a playfully seductive expression, but in my current state of nakedness I thought it wise.

"Could you give me a moment?" I asked apprehensively, my eyes wide with embarrassment, despite my amused smile.

"Certainly," he responded, nodding respectfully. He reached behind his head, his bicep contracting powerfully, to retrieve the grey pillow that he had slept on, pulling it from under him and promptly laying backwards, allowing the pillow to fall on top of him, covering his face entirely from view. I couldn't help but chuckle at his antics. His returning chuckle was muffled by the pillow causing me to laugh audibly. I smiled at him, though I knew he couldn't see it.

"Oh and no peeking," I added.

"I would do nothing of the sort, milady," he responded in a smothered mumble. I could vividly imagine the taunt of his expression beneath the pillow. I knew I could trust his word, even if he was being playful. Edward was nothing if not a man of honor.

I crossed the room quickly to the closet, immediately abandoning my wet towel and adorned myself with a bra on the off chance he did playfully decide to peek. I selected my cloths carefully, trying to figure out an outfit that would compliment my complexion without giving him any wild ideas. It turned out to be a much more difficult balance to strike than I had anticipated, but after a few moments of thought, I achieved what I believed to be probable success.

"Alright, you can look now," I told him. He tossed the pillow aside emphatically, his eyes racking over my figure. He sat upright, swinging himself off of the mattress with impressive agility, and landed lightly on his feet, approaching me slowly, a smirk on his face.

"You look nothing short of ravaging," He told me softly, his eyes lustful. His hand snaked its way around my waist, pulling my body against his. He dipped his head down to plant his lips against mine, moving them slowly in unison with me. Through the slow and deliberate opening of his lips I could taste the mintyness of his breath as it filled my mouth. I couldn't help but ponder how he managed to wake up in such perfect condition. Upon being released from the embrace of his lips, I stared upward at him with a puzzled expression, and attempted subtly to smell my own breath. He caught me and began to chuckle down at me. He smirked, rolling his eyes upward and to the left with an innocent child-like expression. I glared at him suspiciously.

"I may have cheated," he admitted. "I stole some of your mouthwash."

"I doubt I would have cared," I replied, tugging at his sweater until he willingly leaned down for another tantalizing kiss. He stared about my room while I made my way over to the stool, boosting myself upward to sit on the mattress. He seemed to absorb his surroundings intently as he followed my lead, bounding upwards on to the bed, rolling over and pulling me with irresistible force, though as delicately as though I were made of glass, into his chest as he laid flat against the sheets.

"Studying up on me are you?" I asked, aware of his eyes roaming around his surroundings curiously.

"Of course," he replied with a smile.

"And… what have you learned so far?" I asked, perking my eyebrow at him playfully.

"Well," he began, "You seem to have far better taste than Jessica, you enjoy living in a state of organized disorganization, and you seem to be very fond of Stephanie Taylor," he said, gesturing to the three posters of the musician lining my half of the room, and the six albums laying in my cd rack. I sighed, preparing my explanation with a mild degree of embarrassment.

"Ever since I was young, her music has always spoken to me on a certain level," I said, staring at the photo of the curly blonde, holding her guitar before her. "It's almost like her and I have had a lot of the same struggles, and sometimes it just felt really nice to feel like someone else had been in that place before and made it through alright. I admire her a lot actually. I suppose I look up to her. I just find she resonates with me, and so yes, I am very fond of her." I said, a smile crossing my face. He seemed pleased by my answer, and grinned at me.

"That's very admirable," he said softly, pulling me into his chest. There, against the sound of his beating heart, I began to fully appreciate what I had before me in that moment, the long road that we were about to embark upon, and the realization of the challenge that such a path might present suddenly filled my entire being. It seemed that keeping a relationship such as ours from the world would be a nearly impossible task, and yet, I was fully aware that we had to do just that. Nobody could know. Nobody could ever know. It seemed unlikely to me that if anybody discovered our relationship it would survive intact. I looked at him somberly.

"What are we going to do?" I asked him gravely. His eyes became solemn as he paused, considering his response.

"I'm – not sure," he said flatly. "I feel it would be in our best interest not to tell anyone for obvious reasons." He said.

"I tend to agree with you," I admitted, hoping he didn't think me ashamed of him, as if that were even within the realm of possibility.

"But I would still like to see you as often as I can," he insisted softly, "even if it has to be in secret."

"Well that's a good thing. I don't think I could keep myself away from you for long." I replied with a slight smile.

"It does seem unimaginable," he replied with a chuckle that quickly turned grim. He glanced at his watch and I reluctantly released him from my embrace.

"I'm so sorry Bella. I don't want to go, really." He said, his eyes ablaze with sincerity. I sighed as he leapt down from my bed and strode over to my desk, grasping a notepad and a pen.

"This is my cell number. Feel free to call me any time of the day or night. Just say the word, and I'll come to you," he promised, placing the pen gently back down upon my desk. I smiled at him, my face turning scaret at his tender sentiment.

"Thank you Edward," I said, jumping down from my bed as well, and crossing the room to my desk. I grasped the pen quickly and wrote the digits of my phone number out across the paper beneath the one he had used, tore it sharply from the pad and followed behind him to the doorway. He paused briefly, turning away from the door to face me.

"There's something I ought to mention to you," he said, his face distorted in culpability. "Alice – Alice knows that I'm here, or at least that I came here last night and the reason why. It's actually entirely possible that she was the reason I was courageous enough to run across campus to find you last night to begin with." I stared at him in utter surprise, although he misread my reasoning. "She won't tell anyone, you can be sure of that," he reassured me. I couldn't help but vocalize my puzzled thoughts.

"I don't understand. Why would Alice convince you to come here if she knew it was against the rules?" I asked perplexed. Edward grinned at me widely.

"From the first time I mentioned you I believe she had a gut feeling that things would turn out this way. She's going to be unbearably smug about it too, believe me. But I suppose that is irrelevant. The point is Bella, she's been your biggest cheerleader from the beginning, so I also wrote down her cell number on the notepad too. You can call her as well, day or night. She's really looking forward to getting to know you." He said smiling warmly, although after a moment, a slight measure of apprehension graced his expression. He seemed wary of what his sister might do, or likely even worse, the things she would be able to tell me. I couldn't believe how warm Alice's unexpected support made me feel, but the warmth was fleeting as I sighed, knowing that it was time for him to depart, and wishing wholeheartedly that he wouldn't.

"You have to go," I said glumly. He stared down at me, his expression unfathomable, before leaning down to me with haste, placing my face between his powerful hands and kissing me passionately enough that I began to feel unsteady on my own feet. His eyes lingered in mine for a few moments longer, before he exhaled deeply.

"I'll see you later Bella," he promised, reaching for the door handle.

"Wait," I interjected, pushing in front of him towards the door, "Let me look, in case there is anyone who might see you leave." I said. His expression betrayed that he was clearly impressed with the idea.

"Smart," he agreed. I opened the door slowly, gazing down the hallway in both directions. There was nobody in sight, and so I waved him forward. He slid behind me and out the door, pecking a light kiss at my cheek as he passed.

"Oh, Edward," I called after him, throwing the door open wide enough to give myself time to run to the box in my closet and retrieve his leather jacket from its hiding place.

"Here, take this," I exclaimed, tossing it to him. He looked at me softly.

"You can keep it if you wish," he insisted his eyes burning gloriously as he threw it back to me. I smiled at him, and he quickly returned it, albeit far more brilliantly, and turned, vanishing down the staircase. I felt emptier inside in his absence, but overall it was not enough to dull the glow that shown over me after the most incredible night that I had ever experienced.

Closing the door I sauntered absentmindedly across the room to where the notepad lay on my desk to again see his and Alice's cell phone numbers written across the page in beautiful calligraphy. An idea suddenly flashed in my mind, and I quickly dialed the phone number before ripping the page from the notepad and sliding it into a drawer where it wouldn't accidentally be seen by Jessica.

The text I sent was rather simple.

 _Hey Alice, it's Bella Swan. I was wondering if maybe you had any time on your hands that I could come and see you for a moment?_

I pressed the send button, hoping that Edward had been truthful about her desire for me to have the number. I could only imagine the amount of attention Alice must be bombarded with on a daily basis, and I didn't wish to intrude upon her. Her response came almost instantly however, not allowing me additional time to fret over the matter.

 _Bella it's lovely to hear from you! Can you come to Kappa house tomorrow at 11am? I'd love to catch up!_

Clearly Edward had been right. She had certainly wanted me to have it, and so I prepared to go better acquaint myself with Alice, not because she was the queen of Lakefront University, not because she was Edward's sister, and not even because she knew about my secret relationship with Edward, but because she had apparently been pivotal in creating one of the most enchanting evenings of my life, and for that I would be eternally thankful. I stood by my desk grinning from ear to ear, ready to bond with the girl who was apparently my biggest cheerleader.


	11. Part Two: Chapter 11

**Part Two**

 **... _I Know Places..._**

* * *

The next morning, it had been necessary to time my departure from the dormitory very carefully, given the weight of my newly created secret. As I had anticipated, upon her arrival home the previous evening, Jessica had launched into a full blown monologue of all of the events that had transpired during her visit to Los Angeles, hardly seeming to take a breath throughout the entirety of her speech. I didn't mind in the slightest. The longer she continued to talk, the longer her attention would not be on me, something I would have appreciated even under normal circumstances. But now, I felt more relieved than ever as she fleshed out every minute, inconsequential detail, and I even found myself asking her questions, enticing her to elaborate further. I was hopeful that she would simply exhaust herself in her endless explanation, but at long last, the question I had most been dreading found its way from her lips.

"So how was your weekend?" She asked, seemingly uninterested. She didn't appear to be paying close attention to me and so I concentrated on sounding nonchalant in my answer. I knew all too well how lousy I was at lying.

"Um – it was alright," I responded as casually as I could. I saw her glance in my direction out of the corner of my eye and I felt my chest tighten as I awaited her response, hoping that I had not tipped her off. If I had, she would use every tactic at her disposal to unravel what I was concealing; of that I was certain. She smiled at me inexplicably, and I tried to keep my eyes from widening in confusion.

"It's okay, I'm back now. I should have known you would be bored without me," she scoffed, self-assured. I fought back a heavy sigh of relief, and played right into her hands.

"Yeah, I guess I missed you," I responded with as convincing a smile as I could muster. I was overwhelmingly thankful that at least this once, Jessica seemed to be more arrogant than intuitive. I would happily allow her to believe her words to be the truth if it would keep her from discovering all that had transpired, and hopefully would transpire, between Edward and myself. Even at the thought of his name I felt my heart long for him and my thoughts drift outward, searching for him in space, but I quickly pushed him from my mind. I could not risk such errant thought in Jessica's presence.

She had left early the following morning, as she always did on Thursdays. She had several early classes, thankfully saving me from having to explain where I was headed so early in the morning. I felt absolutely certain that she would have insisted upon joining me to see Alice, even if she had in no way been invited. There was however, still one other dilemma preventing me from escaping unnoticed, though I suspected it would be minor in comparison to anything Jessica could throw at me. Angela would be in the common room until at least ten thirty, as she was every morning, sitting with her laptop, working on projects for the audio visual club, occasionally sipping from her coffee mug. I knew that Angela would be far too considerate, and likely far to frustrated by her editing to push the issue, if when she asked where I was headed I gave her an intentionally vague answer. But I still couldn't risk raising any suspicion, not so early on, after finally having had the satisfaction of spending a night with Edward.

I waited patiently in my dorm for the minute hand to reach the bottom of the hour, and then another five minutes beyond that just to be safe. I then quietly, and carefully stepped towards the door, and placed my ear against the crack of its outline, listening for any signs of movement in the common room. I could hear nothing discernable, and I was comforted by that fact. I opened the door slowly, careful to make as little noise as possible, and peaked around it towards the common room. It was empty, and so I noiselessly closed the door behind me and cautiously strode out the front door and down the stairs.

The air was cold, yet dry and inviting in the warm rays of the daylight sun. The trees were truly transforming now, their vibrant gold and orange hues beginning to become as prominent as the green that still graced their interiors. The breeze brushed my hair playfully across my face and I could see the shimmering traces of red in my dark brunette locks, as only the sun could reveal. The campus seemed alight with activity on this beautiful autumn day, and I couldn't help but feel uplifted by its cheerful spirit. It helped me to soothe the tension I could feel coiled in my muscles. I was entirely unsure of what to expect from my encounter from Alice. What could one held in such high regard by all, possibly have to discuss with me? As I rounded the corner to see the lavish Kappa house before me, I was acutely aware that for better or for worse, I was likely about to discover the answers I sought.

I approached the front steps with trepidation, taking each step with great care and deliberation so as not to trip on any of the uneven stone stairs that led to the beautiful columns at the front of the house. Taking a deep breath, I knocked three times on the front double doors. The wood reverberated beneath my strikes. There was no response from within, no visible movement at all, and no noise to be heard. I stared indecisively at the door handle, debating whether or not to simply return to my dormitory and tell Alice that I had fallen ill, but I felt that I owed her too much to renege at that point. With another deep breath, I pulled against the door handle, and the heavy door creaked open towards me. I stepped through quickly allowing it to fall closed behind me with a thud. The house looked considerably larger absent of the crowded state in which I had last seen it. The floors were made of beautifully polished tile, reminiscent of marble, and the magnificent chandelier that hung overhead glittered in the sunlight streaking through the windows, throwing beams of rainbow light across the room. Beneath the chandelier was the spectacular grand piano I had seen on my prior visit, although somehow, even in all of its majestic grandeur, it seemed to be lacking today without Edward's talented hands gracing its keys. Walking towards it, I could hear my footsteps echoing back at me from the walls of the enormous, ornate foyer. The surface of the piano was flawlessly polished, showing me a perfect reflection of myself, just like a mirror. I couldn't help myself, as I extended my hand towards its surface, allowing my fingers to glide over its cool, smooth finish.

"Isn't it exquisite," spoke a high, musical voice that rang throughout the room, almost hanging in the air. I jumped backwards from the piano, startled by the sudden voice that broke the perfect quiet of the room. Alice was walking noiselessly down the opulent, curved grand staircase on the left side of the room. Ornamenting her small frame was a pastel pink dress that was reminiscent of a garment that would have been worn by a housewife from the nineteen sixties. The skirt flared outward at the bottom in perfect symmetry, and her style was accented by the thick pastel pink band that she had placed in her jet black hair. She looked as remarkable as always, although this in no way meant that she was any less striking with repeat exposure. I had a suspicion that Alice and her brother were simply people that I would never become accustomed to, and that their beauty would strike me anew every time I saw them until the day I took my last breath.

"It's – It's beautiful," I said in a clear understatement.

"It was handcrafted in 1901, here in Chicago, by one of the greatest artisans of the time," she informed me, approaching both me and the piano with a luminous smile, her excitement clearly manifested in her shining golden eyes.

"Bella, I'm honestly so glad you reached out to me. We have simply have so many things to discuss," she said positively beaming with joy.

"We – We do?" I asked unable to hide the incredulity in my voice, my eyes widening.

"Well of course," she responded with a light airy chuckle, "I'm certain you must have a great number of questions for me, and I'm simply thrilled to get to know you. I can already tell we are going to be the best of friends!" I stared at her dumbfounded, trying my best to smile, although I felt positive it came across as rather impish. She placed her hand over my shoulders guiding me towards the stunningly beautiful staircase.

"Now I've cleared my schedule until two-thirty," She began. I choked slightly on my own breath. Three and a half hours? Why on earth had she cleared three and a half hours of her time? It was impossible for our discussion to be that import for someone who so clearly must have far more consequential matters to attend to.

"Two-thirty?" I gasped out in astonishment. Alice frowned, as though she were highly disappointed.

"I know," she began glumly. "I would have given us far longer, but I know that there is someone that will be very eagerly awaiting your arrival in a certain classroom at three 'o'clock. He made me promise that I wouldn't cause you to be late. How typically egocentric of him," she said, rolling her eyes with clear indignation. I tried to push my wonderment clear of my thoughts so that I would be capable of coherent response.

"It's alright Alice. I'm – I'm sure we will have plenty of time for – well – whatever you intend to talk with me about," I said smiling softly at her. "Besides – I selfishly have to admit that I'm rather excited to see him as well." I said, my heart beginning to accelerate at the mere thought of his proximity. She smiled widely at my response.

"I'm glad to see you're so taken with him" she responded, contentment flooding her expression.

She led me up the staircase and down a short, but lavishly decorated hallway, before turning through a door on the right-hand side. The room which we entered was nothing short of magnificent. A large bed was located in the center of it, and hanging from the tall frame of its posts were white silk curtains, which were billowing in the breeze of the open door, which led to a covered balcony overlooking the endless turquoise waters of the lake. It was one of the most spectacular views I had seen yet in this city. I couldn't help but absorb my surroundings in amazement.

"This is beautiful," I said, my jaw agape. "Is this where you live?" I asked, my eyes wide in astonishment. It seemed fitting to me, I supposed that someone as adored as Alice would be given such a lavish living arrangement, and it seemed to fit her level of sophistication perfectly.

"Of course not," she responded, as though my suggestion had been simply preposterous, "Although technically it is my room as chapter president, and I will admit I do use the closet space. But this isn't my actual residence. I live with Edward, off campus, and my fiancé Jasper of course." She responded nonchalantly. The gears of my mind jammed quickly with this new information.

"You have a fiancé?" I blurted out in a rather impolite manner. I felt instantly deplorable for my lack of respect towards my ever gracious host. Her revelation had simply taken me off guard. I had been forced to listen to an entire lecture that Jessica had given Angela and the rest of her nightly group of friends, that it was perfectly acceptable for her to be single, and she had quoted Alice numerous times as an example. How then, was it possible that Alice was engaged, and yet Jessica, a girl who practically worshiped the ground that Alice walked on, had absolutely no knowledge of the matter? Alice laughed lightly at my bewildered expression.

"Oh Bella. You have to understand something about me, and my entire family for that matter. When you are constantly scrutinized by others, by those who wish to unseat you from the positions that they covet, you maintain a certain level of confidentiality surrounding your private affairs." She said grinning wickedly. "Like I said once before, you don't become the queen of Lakefront by giving away all of your secrets." I was stunned by her, amazed that someone of her level of publicity was able to have a waking moment that wasn't overheard by at least someone, and yet, she apparently was capable of hiding an entire relationship from the hungry eyes of the entire school. She was clearly far more skillful than I had previously given her credit for. She chuckled lightly at some inside joke.

"If you truly want to be with my brother, I figured it was time to start letting you in on a few of the family secrets," she said, grinning wickedly, before her gaze became suddenly inquisitive. "I'm very curious," she began, examining me with great scrutiny, and yet maintaining a comfortable lightheartedness, "Why _did_ you ask to see me today Bella?" I inhaled deeply, for I had been presented with the opportunity to complete the task I had set forth for myself. I felt certain I would not receive another moment more opportune than the present to do so.

"Well," I began, pausing in an attempt to keep my thoughts straightforward, "I suppose – I suppose I wanted to say thank you." Alice looked at me with a patient expression, clearly awaiting clarification. "Edward mentioned that the night he came to me, you had talked sense into him, and given him courage. So, I wanted to thank you for that." Alice smiled at me warmly.

"All I did was make him listen to himself, instead of letting his terrible attempts at logic get in his own way," She said warmly. She shook her head, rolling her eyes in amusement. "It was so obvious to me from the first time he mentioned you. He was practically glowing when he walked through the front door, and yet he kept making a fool of himself simply because he was afraid you were going to report his misconduct. He never listens to me. The first time I met you I knew that sooner or later, the two of you would end up together, which is incredible by the way Bella. You are simply a delight," she finished smiling widely. "Would you care for some tea?" she asked, picking up a pot from the center of the table at which we sat.

"No thank you," I responded, my voice soft, as I listened intently to her story. I looked at her, imploring her with my gaze to continue. She gracefully poured the dark liquid into her cup, steam visibly rising from it in the cool air.

"Anyways," she continued, sipping her tea gracefully, "I kept trying to show him the absurdity of his ludicrous actions, but as always Edward didn't listen to my advice. Instead he set in motion his own asinine plan to make you believe him to be a heartless jackass. The next thing I knew he was running home to tell me that he had almost kissed you outside of your dorm room and he wanted to know what I thought he should do. I told him that obviously he should have kissed you, since you are genuinely wonderful. He seemed pretty displeased with me for that response," she said, her eyes glazed over at some memory she was recalling. "When he finally did decide to profess his feelings for you, and you turned him away, I decided to put my foot down. There was no way I was going to allow him to continue to behave in such an imbecilic manner, and insisted that he do what he truly wanted, what he had wanted all along, which was obviously to be with you. You know, the both of you have made this so much more difficult than it needed to be," she said scornfully towards me.

"I'm sorry?" I said, more a question than a response. She smiled in my direction apologetically and I shook my head back and forth ever so slightly.

"Perhaps if he didn't feel the need to always be so - mysterious…" I began, but a smirk crept its way across Alice's face, interrupting my train of thought.

"You simply have to ignore every rumor you've ever heard about him," she said matter-of-factly. I stared at her with a measure of perplexity.

"Are there rumors I should have heard about him?" I asked, raising my eyebrow, my expression distorted with puzzled curiosity.

"None that have an ounce of credibility," she said rolling her eyes. "Most of them are fabrications created by many of the girls that he has turned down over the years, and their fiction never gets very creative. He's always either a womanizer, or to arrogant, or selfish, or self-absorbed. I frequently give my brother a difficult time, but he is a good man, far from any of those accusations," she said her expression becoming solemn. I had to admit that in my experiences with Edward, he certainly had never seemed to fall into any of those categories. I felt my mind beginning to swim with questions when I was suddenly distracted by Alice's rapidly changing expression, as her face suddenly lit up cheerfully.

"But enough about Edward. I'm simply dying to know everything about you!" she said. She then proceeded to ask me an endless number of questions about myself, things that I wouldn't have believed that she was actually interested in knowing if it weren't for the fact that she remained intently focused on me for the entirety of the afternoon. Her questions did not feel intrusive, and neither did my answers ever feel forced as they would have had Jessica done something similar. Perhaps it was simply the charismatic nature of her effortless warmth that made the afternoon pass by so quickly. No matter the underlying cause, Alice had once again been proven right. By the time two-thirty rolled around it felt as though we had only barely begun, and I found myself wishing that I didn't have to leave. It was only the recollection that Edward would be waiting for me in class that finally motivated me to end my time with Alice.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality Alice. Really, I had an amazing time today." I said, a genuine smile settling comfortably across my features.

"I'm so glad to hear that Bella. Really," She smiled widely at me, "Can I ask you to do something for me?" She stared at me imploringly.

"Sure, Alice. What do you need?" I asked, feeling willing to do anything for my new friend, for yet again she had been correct. We indeed were going to be the best of friends.

"Would you please, please consider joining Kappa," She asked with the utmost warmth. "I would be so absolutely grateful to have you as a sister."

"Alice," I began hesitantly, "I don't…"

"You don't have to answer me this instant. The initiation ceremony isn't for another week, and you wouldn't even have to do much. Just attend an event or two here or there. It would be more symbolic than anything," she said, her voice calm and smooth, as she attempted to assuage my doubts of joining any sort of structured social hierarchy. I'm sure after our conversation she was well aware of the aversion I would have to such a request, and yet still I found it difficult to resist Alice's heartfelt appeal. I resolved to give her offer genuine consideration.

"I'll think about it." I told her with a light smile. She positively beamed at me.

"Thank you so much Bella! I'll send your invitation to you this week. It's in no way binding. You're still free to refuse," she assured me. "And please, let me know if you ever need anything at all from me. I'd be more than happy to help," she offered in return, smiling earnestly. From the recesses of my mind, an idea was suddenly ripped to the forefront. I knew that proposing it would force my acceptance of Alice's offer, but I could think of no other way to have this particular favor granted, for I knew I would be asking rather a lot.

"Actually," I began, spinning back towards Alice, "There is – one thing – that you could do for me," I said, an apologetic smile creeping across my face. Alice stared me down warily.

I pushed my way frantically through the pleasant chill of the air. My time with Alice had run long and I had no desire to be late to biology, no desire to postpone the day of waiting that I had already endured to see his gleaming smile once more. I caught up to Angela just outside the door of the auditorium, smiling at her as I slowed myself to leisurely stroll, trying my best to look casual as I tamed my hair back down into its proper shape. The gesture did not escape Angela's notice, though she ignored it courteously, as I knew she would. We entered the auditorium together, and my eyes instantly swept the room. I had already been informed by Alice that he would be here, recalling that she had mentioned that he was anxious to see me, and I was impatient to see his expression when his piercing gaze finally found me. I caught sight of him almost immediately upon entering the auditorium, talking with another student just in front of the stage. He was even more flawless than I recalled. His bronze hair shone in the warm incandescent light, and I wanted nothing more than to rush to him, to embrace him, to feel the silky texture of his hair flowing through my hands as I was so vividly able to recall in that moment. To again feel the electricity of his perfect lips moving with mine, of his solid muscle contoured perfectly to my curves.

"Bella?" Angela asked perplexed, for I realized that I had frozen in the doorway, forcing other students to attempt to file in around me.

"Sorry," I quickly stuttered, moving into the seat next to Angela and staring at the ground so as to avoid being overwhelmed by the memories of being in such close proximity to his perfection. I glanced up at him only twice, both times seeing him still busy with the red headed female student that was so obviously ogling him in the front of the room. I felt my glare turn towards her venomously as she so clearly lusted after him, though it was no fault of her own that she was so struck by him.

Class began as usual with roll, and yet again I waited anxiously for his gaze to find me in the room. As he neared my name on the list, I could feel my body subconsciously tense, as though I were a spring wound too tightly.

"Bella Swan," he called in his velvet voice. I was not Isabella again today, something with which I felt satisfied. I smiled to myself.

"Present," I called out softly. His eyes snapped up into mine, their golden depths indifferent. It was certainly not the level of enthusiasm I had hoped for. The moment his gaze left me I couldn't help by look down at the old flattened carpet, overwhelmed by a sense of disappointment. The moment roll call was completed he turned quickly towards the desk in the corner and began looking over his stack of papers for the day. His gaze was intent as he studied them carefully, and knowing that he would not look up from the again, as he hadn't in our previous few classes, I begrudgingly turned my gaze back towards Professor Banner, pretending to listen to him to the utmost of my ability. My pocket vibrated softly, and I cocked an eyebrow, unsure of who would be texting me. Anyone who had my phone number certainly knew that I was in class at that time. I pulled my phone out discreetly to stare at the preview screen. I almost dropped it when I read the message:

 _From EC: You look beautiful today._

I felt my heart flutter at the four simple yet unbelievably powerful words, and I couldn't help myself but to glance up at him. He winked at me, never taking his eyes off of professor banner, the slightest grin pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Who was that?" whispered Angela, who seemingly had not seen me glancing at Edward. I hurriedly shoved my phone back into the pocket of my jeans.

"Just - spam or something," I whispered, feeling guilty for lying to Angela, but knowing that it was necessary. I stared at the ceiling for a moment trying to clear my head, to calm my breathing. I tried to focus on Professor Banner's lecture, but it was simply impossible with Edward's presence overshadowing him so completely. Still, I forced myself to try.

Upon Professor Banner releasing us from class, I began to gather my belongings and make my way to the doors at the rear of the auditorium.

"Ms. Swan, a moment if you would," the musical voice called, ringing through the room. I saw him awaiting me by the side door to the auditorium, his face expressionless. I shot Angela an innocently confused expression before making my way through the auditorium towards him, following him as he disappeared through the small doorway and down the bland hallway that led to his quaint office. I walked in as he held the door open for me. I didn't turn around when I heard the door click shut behind me. Instead I stared out the small window towards the brilliant autumn colors.

"So," I began, "That was you being _excited_ to see me. I guess I just had expected…" my voice cut off abruptly as his powerful forearms wrapped their way around me from behind, ensnaring my stomach in their powerful grasp. The smell of damp pine swirled in my head, causing my thoughts to suddenly cease, as I felt his firm musculature press gently into my back.

"No," he whispered, his lips hovering just barely above the exposed skin of my neck, so close that I could feel the warmth of his breath on my skin. I inhaled jaggedly as his right hand unlatched from my stomach, tracing its way lightly over my shoulder and down my arm.

" _This –_ is me being excited to see you," He whispered, as his lips connected lightly with my skin, just below my ear. A surge of heat shot through my body as my heart galloped, and he ran his lips lightly across the skin of my shoulder, leaving a trail of vivid fire in his wake. His arm suddenly unraveled from about my waist as he crossed the small room, pulling the blinds closed on the window, and opened a small drawer with his left arm. From within it, he pulled a single rose, its crimson petals glowing in the warm light of his desk lamp.

"For you," he said softly, presenting the rose to me, his eyes glistening beautifully. I smiled at him, amazed by him as always, and his return smile was dazzlingly brilliant.

"Thank you," I whispered, as my body filled with warmth.

"No," he said stepping around to the other side of his desk so that he was again merely inches away from me. His flannel shirt only loosely displayed the incredible contours of the musculature that I knew to lie beneath, but even with its obscurity I could not prohibit myself from staring. "… thank you. Thank you for tolerating my foolishness, and my absurd behavior. Thank you for standing before me right now, after everything that I have put you through." He finished. An uncontainable smile burst across my lips.

"Anytime," I whispered softly, reaching upwards toward him. He dipped his head towards me, seemingly knowing my thoughts, as his flawless lips met softly with mine. The heat flowed between us freely as he kissed me tenderly at first. But as the fire began to consume me, I felt something within me that I could not comprehend. It was almost as though I had a sort of hunger for him that was slowly becoming ravenous as my lips moved with his. I felt my hands move across the firm contours of his chest, feeling it rise and fall rapidly as he embraced me, and I separated my mouth ever so slightly, allowing him intimately nearer to me, tasting the cool mint of him on my tongue. I wanted him with a fever pitch that I had never known before, and a type of madness seemed to ensnare my thinking. He met my ever increasing hunger with a passion of his own, his hands tracing over my stomach and down my back as though he too needed all that was before him. He embraced me suddenly, lifting me from the ground effortlessly with one arm, and laying me horizontally across the length of his desk as my fingers pulled powerfully at the edges of his shirt, my mind willing it out of existence. I felt my body slide upwards across the smooth surface of his desk, as his lips made their way vigorously up my jawline, sending waves of vivid electricity rolling through me. There was suddenly a loud crash, and the warm light that had filled the air was instantaneously extinguished. He sat up instantly, staring behind me towards the ground, and I too sat up gazing at where he was looking intensely. There in the dim light that crept through the closed blinds were the shattered remnants of his lamp scattered across the floor in front of his desk. We heard the sound simultaneously, the heavy thump of footsteps down the hallway. He looked at me, his eyes frantic.

"Get under the desk," he whispered frantically, squatting to the floor. He quickly threw the cord of the broken lamp over top of his shoe and laid down on the carpet, grasping his head, wincing. I understood instantly, and hearing the footsteps approaching closer, I quickly scrambled down beneath his desk, grabbing the rose from its surface, barely ducking my head under when a sudden light filled the room as the door opened abruptly.

"Edward are you alright?" I heard professor Banner's voice call from the doorway. Edward released yet another flawlessly acted wince.

"I – I don't know. I – I tripped over the lamp cord. My ankle is throbbing," Edward said, an appropriate amount of pain and frustration perfectly accenting his words. I found myself dumbfounded by the utter realism his performance.

"Do you think it's broken," Professor Banner asked, clearly concerned.

"I – I don't think so," Edward continued with a gasp, "But I can't be sure. Do you think you could take me to see my father please?" Edward said. I felt my heart pounding wildly with fear as I heard professor Banner struggle to help Edward to his feet on the other side of the desk, as I sat merely inches away from them, clutching my rose to my chest. The door closed sharply and I heard Edward hopping dramatically on one foot down the hallway. I couldn't help but wonder what his father would have to say about his nonexistent injury. I wondered if Edward would admit to his father what had truly happened. I leaned my head back beneath the desk, exhaling loudly into the air with my eyes closed. After a few moments, once my heart had begun to slow its galloping beat, I allowed myself to reopen my eyes sighing deeply. Upon squinting into the dim light however, I noticed an unusual object before me, and I suddenly inhaled a gust of air, gasping as I recognized it, my eyes widening in bewilderment. I felt my entire body suddenly turn rigid with perplexed apprehension, as I had no logical explanation for what I was seeing before my own eyes, for secured beneath Edward's desk with several strands of electrical tape, was the last object in the world that should logically have been beneath the desk of any member of the school faculty, or any one person for that matter. There, glinting in sharp contrast to the wooden texture of the desk, secured ever so discreetly mere inches from my face, was the long, ominous, serrated blade of a hunting knife.


	12. Chapter 12

My perplexity lasted for significantly longer than it should have, as my mind began to generate innumerable scenarios to explain away the presence of the menacing object that lay neatly taped beneath Edward's desk, before my very eyes. The scenarios ranged from what I felt to be overly simplistic: that someone else had taped the knife there and that Edward was certainly unaware of its presence, to things that were absolutely and utterly absurd. I was fairly convinced that I had not fallen in love with a serial killer. Still, I found the weapon's very presence, and its intentionally discrete location very unsettling. It had obviously been placed there with intent, and it seemed that it had most likely been placed there by Edward. But for what purpose? That was the inquiry that so thoroughly eluded me, and I felt incredibly doubtful that bringing the question to light in conversation would yield any positive results. Yet, I was unable to keep the most pressing question from my mind, despite its unpleasant nature. What if Edward was dangerous? I forced myself to consider that possibility, no matter how slim the likelihood of it being true seemed to be. I weighed the possibility in my mind, imagining him as a menacing threat, imagining him hunting me. I was simply unable to seriously do so in my mind. I was incapable of fearing him, and so I concluded that I seemed to have found the answer that I so desperately sought. What would I do if I discovered him to be dangerous? It seemed the answer to that inquiry was that I would do absolutely nothing. It was irrelevant to me, because I was entirely besotted by him. I was beyond the point of no return; I had already leapt from my cliff into the abyss, and could do nothing now to fight as gravity pulled me downward. I resolved then to push my discovery from the forefront of my mind, and decided that when the timing felt more appropriate, I would approach him about the weapon. After all, in the current moment I seemed to have far greater problems to concern myself with than whether or not Edward was going to stab anyone. I still had the daunting challenge of escaping his office without being discovered looming over me.

I crawled out from under the desk, accidentally driving a thorn from my rose directly into my palm in the process. The very flower in my hand again reinforced the notion in my mind that it was highly unlikely that I was in any danger. Edward seemed as genuinely interested in me as I was infatuated with him, no matter how inexplicable or inconceivable that fact may have been to me.

I crept to the doorway, peaking my head around the corner. The dull hallway was empty in both directions, and so I drove my feet forward down the hall with as much haste as I could without generating an unbefitting amount of noise for the situation. When I emerged into the auditorium once more, I found it entirely empty and darkened. I pulled my cell phone from my pocket, and with a tap of my finger upon the screen, a light erupted brilliantly from my telephone, casting eerie shadows across the empty room. I made my way towards the door, now sure of my path, and emerged into the brilliant light of day, which streamed through the glass wall of the main hallway of the medical building.

As I returned my focus to the screen of my cell phone to extinguish my light, I noticed that I had missed a text message from Edward. I opened it with the swipe of a finger.

 _Carlisle would like to see you. Come to his office. Follow the signs to administration and the secretary will direct you. Don't panic. I'll be here waiting._

I felt panic begin to take hold of me in spite of Edward's instructions. I was entirely unsure of what had transpired upon Edward entering his father's office. What if Professor Banner had discovered his fabrication, and now Edward and I were to be confronted with the truth. Surely we would both be disciplined severely, and possibly even expelled. I felt my stomach tighten into an uncomfortable knot, and though I wished too, I knew I could not run. I refused to abandon Edward to his fate without being there to defend his actions. I would tell them that everything was my fault. Perhaps then they would give him a lesser sentence. I attempted to muster the last remains of my courage, inhaling deeply, feeling my chest expand, and then conversely exhaling gently, allowing the fear to flow out of me. It was moderately successful. I glanced upwards towards the signage mounted along the hallway and began to walk with purpose in the direction that was indicated by the sign as administration. I recognized the walk, not because I knew where I was going, but by the ceiling, as I had once been carried down this exact route in the comfort of Edward's arms, although admittedly this time my head was in much better condition. I still felt the same level of nausea I had experienced previously on this walk however, though this time it was not as much from motion sickness as it was from a crippling quantity of anxiety. I turned right at the door marked administration, and found myself in a pleasantly warm room with beautiful wood paneled walls. It felt incredibly inviting for what I knew to simply be offices. A receptionist sat at a desk before me. She looked up from her desk upon my entering the room, and smiled with warm professionalism at me.

"I'm here to see Dr. Cullen," I said timidly. "He's expecting me." I glanced nervously around the room.

"You must be Ms. Swan," she replied warmly. "Just proceed down this hallway and his office is on the right." Her enthusiastic smile was somehow, in this situation, incredibly unnerving. I nodded at her before walking unsteadily down the hallway towards Carlisle's office. I found it easily enough, as Dr. Cullen's name was clearly displayed in large letters across the wooden door with the subtext, dean of internal medicine. I knocked lightly on the door. Moments later it swung inward rapidly, and a hand darted out of it grabbing me by the arm and pulling me briskly, but carefully inside. Upon crossing the threshold of the door into the warmly lit office I saw that it was Edward who was grasping my wrist. He allowed the door to creek shut behind me, smiling at me comfortingly, as my panic must have clearly been written across my face.

"It's alright Bella," he reassured me, his eyes dazzling in the warm radiant light of his father's office.

"Yes, everything is quite alright Bella," Carlisle said softly. I glanced across the room to see him sitting in his lab coat behind the massive mahogany desk in the center of the room. His expression certainly seemed welcoming with no sign of malice whatsoever. I felt my body relax ever so slightly. "Although, I dare say that the two of you came extremely close to certain catastrophe today," He elaborated, raising an eyebrow at us, somehow conveying both concern, and chastisement in the same look.

"I believe that we are both well aware of that Carlisle," Edward rebuked with a heavy sigh, rolling his eyes discretely, though judging by his father's gently scornful expression, I felt certain that Carlisle had seen it.

"Need I remind you son of the dire consequences that you could both face if you are caught? I'm assuming you have at least done Bella the courtesy of explaining them to her?" He asked, his expression weighted with obvious worry. I could tell from this interaction alone how deeply he cared for his son. Carlisle must have felt deeply proud of all that Edward had accomplished. It made it easier for me to understand why he was so easily able to rebuke him in this instance. Edward had worked far too hard for far too long for him to throw it all away. That had been my original argument when I had refused him. It seemed that Carlisle's and my thinking were not so disparate after all.

"Yes – I of course have informed her of what could happen to both her and myself. In fact, she left me. She told me that she wasn't worth sacrificing my future." He practically spat the words out, as though they tasted bitter in his mouth.

"Ah, I see," Carlisle said, though he was clearly confused. "Why then are you here now?" Carlisle asked smoothly, glancing at me, his eyes filled with questions. "Don't misunderstand, I'm pleased to see you again Ms. Swan. My daughter seems to have become very fond of you, and I believe that you are well aware of Edward's particular liking of you as well." he said with the utmost sincerity. I nodded in acknowledgement at his kind words and his smile radiated genuine warmth and welcoming. It was clear he harbored no ill will or resentment towards me. He simply cared about the future of his children.

"I still stand by what I said. I don't believe that Edward's future is worth sacrificing for me," I said. Edward tried to stifle a low growl rather unsuccessfully, "But, I also – I can't think of anything but him. It's a double edged sword I suppose," I said uncertainly towards the ground. I felt Edward wrap his arm firmly across my shoulders, and I smiled downward towards the wooden floor of Carlisle's office.

"Enamourment often tends to leave destruction in its wake," Carlisle said pensively. "I obviously offer no objection to your relationship, and even find myself optimistic of its fruitfulness, but I must insist that you use caution. If handled properly you may be able to avoid causing any unnecessary hardship, but recklessness will lead you nowhere kind," he spoke, his tone conveying wisdom beyond his age. Just like Edward and Alice, Carlisle was nothing if not astonishing. It seemed to me that there was no such thing as an ordinary Cullen. They were all enigmas to be certain.

"Thank you Carlisle," Edward said with a respectful nod. "I'll try my best to be cautious." He said earnestly. Carlisle nodded, smiling appreciatively at his son.

"And I suppose, I'll try my best to resist him when he throws caution to the wind, although I cannot speak to how successful I will be in that endeavor Dr. Cullen," I promised Carlisle.

"Bella, please, call me Carlisle. After all, you are part of Edward's life now, or at least it appears you will be henceforth. I believe we can abandon the formalities," He said warmly.

"Alright. Thank you – Carlisle," I said, smiling back at him. With that gesture Edward pulled me around with the arm that was over my shoulder, aiming us for Carlisle's office door. Carlisle cleared his throat from behind us, and Edward suddenly dropped his arm from my shoulder.

"Right," he said, closing his eyes in obvious frustration.

"Son," Carlisle's voice called out smoothly from behind us, and Edward span about to look at him once again. I followed suit, turning to face Carlisle.

"Perhaps you should be considering another conversation that needs to be had as well," he said softly, his eyes glancing down at me with intent, though I hadn't the slightest inkling of what that intent might have been. "I would suggest sooner, rather than later," he said, staring back towards Edward, the same intent expression upon his face. I hadn't the slightest idea what Carlisle was referring to, but I felt it was impolite to ask, and proceeded to file the thought away for later. Edward nodded ever so slightly in acknowledgement, his expression entirely indecipherable, and he span about, stepping out of the warmth of his father's office into the cruel embrace of the world around us. Edward guided me backwards through the maze that was the medical building and, although it was the last thing in the world I wished to do, I recommended that we walk home separately, in order to avoid additional suspicion. I also felt that it would be wiser for him to take the rose with him when he took his leave of me, as I thought that it would be rather difficult to explain having such a flower in my possession to the ever suspicious Jessica, a point with which he begrudgingly agreed. Before he left me, I had just one more burning question for him.

"So, what happened exactly when you showed up in your father's office being hauled in by Professor Banner, and there was absolutely nothing the matter with you?" I asked.

"Carlisle played the part expertly," He said with a chuckle. "He told me I had simply twisted it with just enough force to cause bruising. Of course he made sure he was speaking loud enough for Banner to overhear, as he was obviously eavesdropping. The man isn't really known for his subtly," he concluded with a satisfied smirk. I couldn't help but laugh at him. Only the Cullens would be able to pull off such an impressive stunt so flawlessly with no rehearsal time whatsoever. A thought jumped out at me suddenly.

"By the way – would you happen to be attending any sorority events soon – to support Alice of course – You don't know anyone else who…"

"I wouldn't miss your induction for the world," he said, his sincere smile stunning me forcefully. I was unsure whether or not I would ever truly get used to the power of his dazzling smile, but I was inclined to doubt that I would.

"Well then, I'll see you later Mr. Cullen," I said with a small courtesy.

"The pleasure shall be entirely mine Ms. Swan," he said with a small bow winking at me, before he spun on his heels and walked briskly away towards the opposite end of the building. My feet carried me across campus of their own accord, as my mind was otherwise preoccupied by its favorite topic of thought. I had barely even opened the door to the dormitory when the squeal of excitement shattered my lack of concentration, and possibly my eardrums as well. Jessica screamed wildly at me, running to the doorway, embracing me in a bouncing, vibrating hug!

"Bellaaaaaaaaaaaaa…" It continued on in this fashion for far too considerable of a time really, but I knew better than to try to calm her. I simply let her release her energy. I saw in her hand the envelope, addressed in elegant script, and I knew that the favor I had asked of Alice had come to fruition. Jessica had received her formal invitation to become a Kappa sister, and I could see my envelope lying on my desk, already open. I smiled at her, allowing her to embrace me yet again. I vowed in that moment never to reveal to her how she had come to be a sister of that house.


	13. Chapter 13

Alice had somehow managed to again exceed my every expectation of her. I hadn't had the time or the knowledge to find myself a suitable outfit for the induction ceremony that was to take place at the Kappa mansion that evening. I had however, mentioned my dilemma briefly to her in passing, and she had immediately, of course, insisted that I not worry about a thing, and I of course being myself, did not listen to her in the slightest. It was only two hours later that the box arrived on my doorstep, inside of which I discovered an absolutely beautiful royal blue dress, complete with a ruffled skirt, and a floral looking arrangement on the hip. It looked almost as though it had been tailor made specifically for my body. I was in total awe of how quickly she had found the exquisite outfit. Also in the box were two stylish blue stilettos that perfectly matched the color scheme of the outfit, along with a color coordinated headband. The note was handwritten in elegant script and simply read: _He likes you in blue_. I of course told Jessica that the dress had come from my mother Renee. I suspected that had I told her the true source of its beauty, the line of questioning that would follow would have lasted clear past the end of the ceremony and so I decided it best to simply avoid that route of discussion altogether. Jessica had decided to go with a classically beautiful, silhouetted black dress which was covered in sequins.

"You look incredible Jess," I admitted, gazing at her with some semblance of pride. I had understood how important tonight was to Jessica even before she had explained it to me four different times throughout the process of us getting ready. It felt good to see her so happy.

"So do you, sister," she said, smiling at me, her eyes filled with warm emotions. She embraced me briefly, before looking me in the eyes, and inhaling deeply. "Alright, are you ready?" she asked me. I knew better than to answer that question.

The air was bitingly cold that evening, making the already lengthy walk to Kappa feel that much more burdensome, but I would never have known the temperature by looking at Jessica's radiantly glowing smile. She was well aware that it was her night to shine, and she walked the pathways of the campus as though they had been lined with a red carpet just for her. Upon rounding the final bend to Kappa house, she paused for a moment, inhaling deeply yet again, clearly attempting to maintain her composure and poise, though I knew she must have barely been able to contain herself. She had been waiting for this moment for well over a year now. It felt pleasant to be able to accompany her to her moment of satisfaction, and it did a rather good job of distracting me from my own discomfort.

"Bella this is it," she said, glowing in awe, "I can't believe it's finally happening. I must be dreaming. Quick pinch me!" She said in a dreamlike state. I dove my arm towards her quickly, pinching the skin on the inside of her arm. She yelped loudly.

"Ow! What the hell Bella!?" She shouted. I shrugged nonchalantly at her, fighting back my laughter to maintain an innocent expression upon my face.

"You said to pinch you," I replied with wide eyed purity. She rolled her eyes at me.

I felt my apprehension increasing as we stood before the house, inhaling deeply through my nose in an attempt to calm myself. I wished nothing more than to have the night be over with. Only the knowledge that Edward would be in attendance for the induction kept me from turning on my heels and running back to the safety of my dormitory, although I supposed I didn't want to disappoint Alice either, as she had gone to such great lengths to help me. By sheer force of will, I held my resolve in place, and with a final deep breath, I held my head high and began to climb the beautiful stone stairs that led to the grand foyer of the Kappa house, with Jessica by my side, positively beaming.

The transformation that the majestic room had undergone was nothing short of spectacular. There were small walk up tables scattered throughout the room adorned with elegant vases full of white flowers. Their scent hung in the atmosphere like the most pleasant of perfumes, giving the very air itself a sense of class and sophistication that had Alice's signature touch written all over it. From the ceiling hung a variety of tasteful white ribbons, which worked their way down the walls and also lined the edge of the grand staircase, winding up the railing and across the length of the balcony overlooking the foyer. It was only upon my inspection of the balcony that I became aware that I was being watched by two sets of molten gold eyes. Alice's contentment was written clearly in her beaming smile, likely pleased with the way that the dress had so perfectly fit my figure, although as usual I still felt wholly inadequate in Alice's presence. This evening she wore a white fur jacket over top of a flowing ivory gown that seemed to move with such finesse that it may very well have simply been but a cloud. She had perfectly accented her stunning attire with a single pink rose carefully pinned in her jet black hair. She looked like nothing short of royalty. I wouldn't have been able to avert my gaze from her at all were it not for the man standing next to her, smiling down at me tenderly. He wore a white button up shirt beneath the clean black lines of his blazer, a black bowtie gracing his neck. He was the epitome of refinement, and I could feel my breathing hitch just meeting his gaze, as I found myself longing to be caught in his powerful embrace. His bronze hair was perfectly tousled in a manner that came across as chic as opposed to sloppy, though I doubted that Edward could ever come across as sloppy even if he made his best attempt, so intrinsic was his courtliness. He began to make his way to the staircase in the same moment that I did, but due to the length of his stride, and the obstructing crowd separating myself from the staircase, he had made it clear to the bottom before I was able to greet him. I longed for nothing more than to close the distance between us and wrap my arms wholly around his body, than to feel the electricity flow between us, than to place my lips against his. But I knew such a thing was impossible in such a setting, not when we were surrounded by so many spectators. Instead, he greeted me with an ever so slight bow, and I curtseyed subtly in return. His eyes ran over my form, widening in what I could only assume was bewilderment, although at what I hadn't the slightest clue.

"What?" I asked nervously, "Is something the matter?" He looked into my eyes keenly.

"Why is it that every time I see you, you seem to be even more magnificently ravishing than ever before," he said, his eyes again roaming the length of my body. I could feel the burn of my embarrassment rise to my cheeks, and turned my eyes downward towards the polished tile of the floor.

"Flattery will get you nowhere Mr. Cullen," I said softly, smiling unwillingly beneath his complimentary gaze.

"Ah, but flattery implies exaggeration Ms. Swan," he retorted, "And I have done nothing of the sort." I looked back up at him to see him smiling down upon me with such earth shattering power that I felt as though I may melt beneath his gaze.

"Bella it's so wonderful to see you again," Alice said, pulling Edward and myself from our invisible cone of privacy, causing me to notice that we had subconsciously drifted towards each other. If we had maintained such proximity for long it was likely that someone would have noticed. Alice glanced between us as though awaiting our silent thanks for her interference. Edward sighed forcefully. She leaned in closer to the two of us.

"Could the two of you be any more conspicuous, or would you care for me to have a neon sign fashioned for you," she whispered venomously. "Move it along." She wrapped her arms gracefully about me, and I returned her gesture watching Edward sulk away behind her. My heart felt as though it would practically leap from my chest in its attempt to follow him, but my mind was far too aware that Alice was indeed correct, and so with great reluctance, I watched him saunter away. Upon Alice releasing me from her embrace and waving towards the crowd, suggesting that I mingle amongst them, I spotted Angela, pulling a large black bag across the polished tile floor towards the back of the grandiose room. I made my way over to her, my astonishment momentarily overshadowing my longing to be with Edward. I welcomed the distraction.

"Angela?" I asked, my eyebrow raised, "Is that you?" I asked, although I already knew the answer. I simply couldn't help but second guess myself. This seemed the last place in the world that I would run into her, and to make matters more unusual she was dressed in all black jeggings and a black long sleeve shirt, almost as though she were there to rob Kappa house.

"Hey Bella," She responded smiling warmly at me.

"Don't take this the wrong way," I prefaced, "but what on earth are you doing here?" I asked in astonishment.

"Alice sent in a request to the production office," she responded with a smile. "She wanted someone to come shoot some footage during the induction ceremony, and as soon as I saw the posting I volunteered. It was the only way I would be able to be here to support you and Jessica on your big night," she said with a soft smile, beaming with pride. Of course Angela would be so thoughtful. I felt practically criminal for thinking anything otherwise, and rather agitated with myself for not being considerate enough a friend to invite her in the first place. It was understood that Jessica seldom thought of anyone but herself, but I wished to be more than that. Still, I was extremely happy that Angela was there. Her presence always seemed to calm my apprehensions.

"Well – It's more Jessica's big night," I corrected her, "I'm more or less just along for the ride." I reminded myself that it was the only way to give Jessica what she truly wanted more than anything. It would be worth it, or at least I hoped it would be. A sudden realization occurred to me, and I felt my eyebrow dart upwards.

"Where is Jessica?" I wondered aloud, searching the room for her through the sea of bodies. I noticed that Angela seemed to be looking at something intently and so I followed her gaze across the expansive room.

"Having some fun it seems," Angela said wide eyed. It did indeed seem that she was attempting to have some fun, as she stood chattering away pleasantly with Edward, her hands resting firmly on the musculature of his chest, her expression of feigned innocence playfully alluring, as he smiled back at her dazzlingly. Only someone such as I, who had spent so much time studying the nuances of his expressions, would have been able to detect the discomfort in his eyes. I felt my insides begin to burn at the sight of her, as the all-consuming fire of jealousy burned through my body. I watched her venomously, as she placed her left hand upon his shoulder, as she ran her other hand down the contours of his chest, as she tried to seduce that man that I loved, the man that was the entirety of my existence. I wanted to push my way through the crowd until I could reach her, until I could pull her off of him, until I could put her in her place. I inhaled deeply, attempting to stopper the flow of rage that was boiling through my body.

"I don't think she's ever going to stop trying," Angela said shaking her head slightly at Jessica's actions. I forced myself to converse so as to prevent myself from darting across the room to attack Jessica.

"What do you mean?" I asked curtly, without averting my furious gaze from Jessica. Angela sighed.

"She's been after Mr. Cullen since the second she sat down in his classroom last year. She seems to think that persistence will win him over, but – between you and me – I just don't think he's that interested." I saw Angela turn to face me in my periphery, and with every ounce of my will, I forced myself to look away from Jessica, and place a semblance of concern on my face.

I continued to glance towards Jessica and Edward every few minutes as Angela went about her work, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. When Jessica finally took her leave of him, I did not hesitate. I crossed the room as briskly as I could in my heels, cutting a path through the crowd directly towards Edward. I did not meet the inquisitive gaze he shot me upon spotting me barreling through the throng of people.

"Follow me," I said in a hushed tone, as I walked directly past him and up the grandiose curving staircase, my heels clacking loudly as I stomped up each step with frustration. I could barely hear his lithe footsteps following behind me. I turned left down the short hallway at the top of the stairs, and took a right just before the large ornate painting that hung from the wall, into the cavernous expanse of Alice's bedroom. The room was bathed in a warm glowing light, extending to the blackness of the windows that lined the back wall. I didn't turn around to face him, but rather waited to hear the door close behind me with a click.

"What the hell was that Edward?" I asked, frustration ringing in my tone, making my voice sharper than he deserved.

"I'm afraid you'll have to clarify what you mean," his velvet voice responded behind me, softening the harsh edge of my aggression. I turned to face him, though I could not look him in the eye.

"Jessica," I said, my voice quivering as I stared out the window into the blackness of the night. I heard him sigh, and I glanced upwards at him. His eyes glowed beautifully in the warm glow of light that filled Alice's room. I noticed that the room was filled with a number of crates that had not been here during my previous visit. I assumed them all to be for the event, and it of course made sense that she would store them here, since she did not actually live here but rather with Edward and her secret fiancé. I wondered silently to myself if being complicated was simply a trait which ran in the Cullen bloodline.

"Ah," he replied, looking downward momentarily in thought, "Jessica does seem to be rather infatuated with me," he admitted softly. I rolled my eyes.

"Then why don't you stop her?" I suggested sharply. I closed my eyes for a brief moment in frustration.

"Because – She isn't my student. By engaging with her it would certainly throw anyone off of our scent, figuratively speaking," his velvet voice replied. He said nothing for a few moments, and I opened my eyes to find him looking at me intensely.

"That's – actually rather brilliant," I admitted with a tense sigh. I could practically see his intuition ripping the thoughts from my head.

"That isn't what this is about is it?" he asked, though he sounded as though he already knew the answer.

"Bella, you aren't jealous of Jessica are you?" he asked, staring at me as though it were the single most absurd notion he had ever heard. I stared back at him, dumbfounded, wishing that I had never begun this conversation as I felt the burning crimson rise to my cheeks.

"Well – Yeah," I admitted sheepishly, my cheeks burning with heat.

"Bella – You're my girlfriend," he said in astonishment. "What could you possibly have to be jealous of? If anyone should be jealous it's Jessica," he said, raising an eyebrow at me. I stood before him, frozen in complete bewilderment, and his expression became increasingly perplexed.

"Bella…" he said, concern beginning to wash over his features.

"I'm – I'm your _girlfriend?"_ I asked meekly, a warm sensation flooding through my body in a fashion similar to lowering one's self into a tub of heated water. His eyes darted away from mine towards the floor momentarily, before again meeting my bewildered gaze.

"I was under the impression that you were, unless I was mistaken," he responded hesitantly. I continued to stare at him.

"No – I just – You never…" I began, the words stumbling forth gracelessly from my lips.

"Would you prefer if I went about it in a more formal fashion?" He asked, a heartwarming smile pulling at the edge of his lips. I grinned at him shyly, unable to express myself for I was so overwhelmed.

"Bella – Would you do me the incredible honor of accepting my affections by allowing me to be your boyfriend?" He asked, his eyes intense, and his expression dazzlingly doting. I felt the warmth reach every extremity of my body.

"Of course," I responded, smiling widely at him. His returning smile was iridescently brilliant. He stepped towards me, closing the distance between us in a single stride, and embraced me in his powerful arms, pulling me against his chest. He rested his lips against the top of my head.

"Excellent," He whispered smoothly, rocking me back and forth gently in his embrace.

"So do you enjoy flirting with her?" I asked, grinning playfully. He tossed his head back, laughing heartily with a ringing childlike innocence. He looked down at me, ensnaring me in his gaze.

"There is nobody with whom I wish to flirt except for you," he said earnestly, his gaze vivid, as his eyes drifted downward across my face to rest upon my lips.

"Although, with your permission, I do believe it would be wise if I continued to feign interest in Jessica's pursuits, or at the very least, not reject them," he asserted. I sighed heavily into his chest.

"If you must," I replied begrudgingly.

"I promise to take no pleasure in it whatsoever," he said, his eyes his eyes burning dazzlingly into mine.

"This however, I will gladly take pleasure in," he said. I felt the humming energy begin to pulse through me as he leaned in towards me, only to ignite like flame when his soft lips pressed firmly into mine. I felt the electric elation flow through me as I kissed him passionately in return, moving my hands upward from his waist to dangle from his neck. However, soon the electric energy seemed to be complimented by something else, something familiar, as I felt his hands move with increased vigor over my back. The familiar hunger that I had for him was returning, as though I had been starved for a hundred years, and only the feeling of his body against mine could satiate it. I moved my hands from his neck to rest them against the powerful musculature of his chest, feeling it become firmer as he pushed me backwards towards the wall of the room, forcefully yet carefully. I felt my back connect with the wall solidly, and suddenly I found myself desiring to feel his might around me, to feel the full power that I knew with certainty his body was capable of. His lips moved beneath my jaw, hovering tantalizingly over me, the warmth of his breath teasing my skin until his lips connected lightly with the skin of my neck, sending an electric jolt of satisfaction through my body. I felt my hands grasp firmly around the circumference of his biceps, feeling them move solidly below me. The sensation was unbelievably invigorating, and my breath sped rapidly in and out of my chest. Edward moved his hands across my midsection and around my back, pulling his arms upwards across the exposed skin of my back, leaving heated trails of warmth behind them. I felt his arms tighten even further as his hands moved upwards across the bare skin exposed by my dress, and seemingly without my permission, my hands grabbed the edge of his blazer and pulled it from his body. He completed the motion for me effortlessly, tossing the blazer casually aside onto Alice's bed. My hands moved across the chiseled planes of his stomach, sliding upward until I again felt the solid power of his chest beneath my hands. My hunger felt more acute than ever before as I found myself gazing upon his perfection, feeling it beneath my fingertips through the delicate white fabric of his shirt. I felt a wave of greed flood over me, as I realized what I desired: to see his perfection without interference, to remove the unnecessary piece of cloth that was obscuring my view of him. As his lips moved across my collarbone with haste, my hands found themselves drifting upwards towards the top of his shirt, and seemingly of their own accord, pulled the bowtie from about his neck, tossing it aside, and without hesitation moving downwards to his shirt, unfastening the top button. I instantly felt the fabric loosen away from his body, and so my hands began moving downward, unfastening a second button, and then a third. I could see the flawlessness of his skin, and the tuft of dark, thin hair adorning the center of his flawless chest, for I did not even need to have completed my task to be able to tell that he was shaped like a perfect statue.

There was a sudden, loud bang, and I felt Edward's lips leave my collar bone abruptly, his eyes darting in the direction of the sound in the same instant that I removed my hands from the buttons of his partially open shirt, my eyes snapping in the direction of the sound as well. There, standing in the doorway with her mouth completely agape in shock, was Angela. I felt as though my eyes were about to pop directly from their sockets, and my heart fell to my feet almost instantly. It was the end of everything. The end of my enrollment, the end of Edward's success. It felt like the end of life.

I motioned frantically for Angela to enter the room, and although her mouth never closed, and her expression remained unchanged, she did what I asked, stepping fully into the room, closing the door carefully behind her. I almost couldn't breathe through the iron tight grip that seemed to grasp at my airway, and I noticed that Edward too had an expression of horror painted over his flawless features.

"Bella – Mr. Cullen," she stammered out almost incoherently, though whether it was from shock, or from staring at the glorious perfection of Edwards partially open shirt, I was entirely unsure. Edward turned to face me, his eyes wide with inquiry.

"Angela please – can we just talk for a minute," I implored of her, my eyes searching hers wildly. Seemingly from nowhere, her expression transformed, and an enormous smile spread across her features, and she pulled her hands upwards to her face to cover her inexplicably blissful expression.

"Bella I'm so happy for you," she practically squealed from behind her hands. Angela was squealing, a behavior I would have never expected of her. I was admittedly, a little more than confused.

"I beg your pardon?" Edward asked, bewilderment coloring his expression, his eyebrow cocked high in the air, a stunned expression stricken across his face. Angela dropped her hands and barreled forward with her arms extended, a look of exquisite jubilance in her eyes, and embraced me. This left me even more perplexed that I already was.

"Um – Angela – What is happening right now?" I asked, as Edward stared at me in flabbergasted astonishment. I shared his sentiment entirely. I had never found Angela to be a particularly complicated person, but in this instance she had me at a loss for words. Angela pulled back from her embrace positively beaming.

"Angela," Edward said gently, his expression beseeching an explanation.

"I'm so sorry Mr. Cullen, it's just that…" She paused momentarily looking at me with the oddest expression, almost as though she were seeking my permission to explain herself. I nodded at her, although I had no idea what I had given her permission to do. She smiled slightly.

"You see, it was apparent to me that Bella fancied you ever since that first day in biology, so I've been hoping that perhaps eventually you would return her affections. I knew that nothing would make her happier, and she's a good person, and there are very few men that I would consider good enough for Bella," she said with tender smile. I couldn't help but smile back at her immeasurable kindness. Angela was truly an incredible friend. "I'm just – I'm very happy for her – and for you as well of course Mr. Cullen," she added politely. As she spoke, Edwards gaze softened and warmed, a subtle smile settling on his face by the time she had finished.

"Angela," I began, looking at her intently, "Nobody can find out about us. Edward could get in a massive amount of trouble if anyone discovered that we are romantically involved," I told her, hoping that she understood the gravity of our situation. "Nobody can know, not even Jessica. Just you, and I and Edward and Alice," I said.

"It is not just me that you should be concerned with," Edward added in his deep velvety voice, "Bella could face serious consequences as well if they believe our relationship has led to nepotism of any sort." He said, unleashing the full power of his gaze upon Angela. She stared back at us, her eyes darting rapidly between us, her expression befuddled.

"I would never!" she said, clearly confused as to why we thought her so untrustworthy. "Bella is one of my best friends; I would never do anything to harm her." She insisted. A question suddenly popped into my mind and rolled off of my tongue before I had a chance to stop it.

"What were you doing in here anyways?" I asked Angela ponderously.

"She was coming to find me," responded Alice's musical voice. Her face was distorted in exasperated disbelief as she entered the room, glaring at Edward with vexation.

"Alice…" he began but she quickly cut him off.

"She caught you having sex didn't she," Alice accused, her eyebrow raised, and a contemptuous expression on her face.

"We were doing nothing of the sort," he insisted defensively, his eyes wide as though he was appalled she had said such a thing in front of me.

"Sure. That's why your shirt is half unbuttoned then is it Edward?" she retorted, "and with the window open no less! Edward could you be any more reckless?" she asked in a reprimanding tone, stomping over to the window and dramatically closing the curtain.

"Nobody is looking through the second story window!" Edward replied, as though she were being preposterous.

"Really?" Alice asked, her eyebrows raised. "Do you not remember the time that Eric Yorkie from the tabloid managed to get photos of two kappa sisters making out in the solarium and ran an article about how they were lesbians? Because guess what Edward, that was on the second floor too," she concluded, having taken several steps towards him during her speech, her finger wagging in his face.

"You know as well as I do that the kind people at The Shoreline Inquirer are ever so nosy," she continued, rolling her eyes at him before turning her gaze on me. "Sweet Bella, I hate seeing him corrupt you like this," she said, shooting a mocking glance at her brother. He rolled his eyes at her.

"Alice, everything is going to be fine. Angela has agreed that she won't tell anyone what she saw. You need to relax." Edward said, placing his hands gently on Alice's shoulders, staring at her with a serious expression. Alice rolled her eyes, sighing deeply.

"Only because you're lucky it was Angela who caught you," She said with a sharp glare. The truth in her words rung in my head, and I suddenly appreciated exactly how lucky we had been. I had to be more careful, something that I knew was going to be easier said than done, as the magnetic force that drew me to Edward was exceptionally powerful. I was unsure if I could resist him.

"It won't happen again Alice," I whispered, hoping she wasn't too disappointed in my behavior. She shot me a kind smile.

"Just wait until our Halloween party next weekend," she said with care, "I'll arrange a way for the two of you to have some time alone together where you won't risk getting caught," she promised me. I had no idea how she would manage to do that, but in my short time being friends with Alice, I had come to realize there were very few things in the world that were impossible for her. She was a miracle worker. Perhaps she was also a witch, or perhaps clairvoyant. I chuckled to myself at the thought. I smiled at her appreciatively.

"Thanks Alice," I said softly with the utmost sincerity.

"You're welcome," She responded warmly, "soon to be sister. Speaking of which," she continued glancing down at her watch. "We only have ten minutes. I need to clean you up," she said, glancing uneasily at my hair. She spun away from me suddenly to face Edward, who was watching us intently. He seemed entirely perplexed by Alice's interactions with me.

"And you," she said jabbing her finger at him through the air threateningly, "try to practice some self-control until Halloween," She said, her voice riddled with agitation. "And put some damn clothes on," she said, waving her hands at him as though to shoo him away. He rolled his eyes as he began to refasten the buttons of his shirt. I had barely begun to reveal the entirety of his perfect form, and I felt myself longing to tell him to stop closing the concealing fabric that hid his body from me, but I knew it was not an appropriate time or place to do so.

"I'd tell you to do something with your hair but you always look as though you've just rolled out of bed so I suppose that wouldn't be suspicious." Alice added as he sauntered towards the door. I could hear him grumbling to himself with agitation as he opened the door to leave the room. I heard his footsteps pause before I heard his voice.

"Angela," his velvet voice said softly.

"Yes Mr. Cullen?" she asked, a hint of apprehension in her voice.

"Thank you – for everything. For your discretion – and for being such a good friend to Bella," he said, his voice resonating with sincere gratitude.

"Anyone that is important to Bella is important to me Mr. Cullen," Angela replied politely. I couldn't help but smile at her. She was truly a wonderful friend.

"Likewise," he replied softly, "and please – call me Edward," he insisted.

"Edward would you please get out of here already," Alice called after him in irritation. I could hear Edward mumble something under his breath before I heard the door shut with a click.

"Honestly, I don't know why you put up with his shenanigans," Alice said to me once Edward had left. I heard Angela giggling to herself in the corner at the ridiculous nature of the entire exchanged.

"Because," I started with a sigh.

"Because –" Alice prompted, pulling a brush through some of the more disrupted patches of my hair.

"Because I'm in love with your brother," I admitted softly. There was no response from behind me, although I could see Angela positively beaming from the corner of my eye. After a moment of noiselessness, I felt Alice's arms embrace me lightly as she sighed, seeming content.

"I know Bella," she said with complete and utter conviction. "Trust me, I know." She turned me around and faced me with a wicked smile. Her face displayed clearly that she had known for some time, quite possibly longer than I had, though I couldn't imagine how that was possible. I couldn't help but wonder what other things she might possibly know. She stood abruptly.

"It's time Bella!" she said brightly. "It's time to welcome you to my family," Alice said, twirling gracefully across the room and out the door leaving me alone with Angela. Angela smiled encouragingly at me, and I smiled back at her, thankful for her discretion. I stood facing the doorway to Alice's room, ready to take my first steps into sisterhood with the most enchanting woman I had ever met, the woman who seemed to know everything. The sister of the most enchanting man I had ever met, the man that I was so thoroughly besotted with, the man that I loved, the man who inexplicably kept a hunting knife taped beneath his desk. I felt a shiver run down the length of my spine, and I forcefully pushed the thought out of my head into the silence.


	14. Chapter 14

The ceremony had been nowhere near as unbearable as I had originally anticipated it would be. Every time I began to feel my smile wavering, or my resolve weakening, I simply stole a glance at the endlessly beaming Jessica, who seemed almost breathless from elated excitement. On the occasions where even Jessica was unable to provide me with the patience I required, I would simply search the crowd until my eyes landed upon Edward's complimentary gaze, or upon Angela, who stood beaming like a proud parent directly beside him. I truly hoped that they established a solid friendship. They had become two of the most important people in my life, and nothing would make me happier than for them to coexist amicably.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the room erupted into a massive applause and the moment it was acceptable, Jessica turned to trap me in her crushing embrace, pinning me to her with inescapable might.

"Oh Bella!" she cheered directly into my eardrum.

"Can't breathe," I huffed out, wheezing slightly. She ignored me entirely.

"It actually happened! We're really sisters! You know if you ever need anything from me at all, all you have to do is ask!" she said, her voice full of merriment. I suspected, of course, that Jessica's sudden outpouring of kindness was less of an actually usable promise, and rather was simply her current emotional state causing her to be overtly kind. Still, I accepted the gesture for what it was worth, and allowed her to continue her crushing embrace.

Over her shoulder I could see Edward's golden eyes watching me, a slight smile pulling upward at the edges of his mouth. I couldn't help but smile to myself at the thought of him, and suddenly felt anxious to escape Jessica's embrace so that I could go to him.

It immediately crossed my mind that perhaps that was not what I was supposed to do. After all, it would be in our best interest not to be seen together publicly, especially after our scare from earlier that night. But another glance at the admiring expression on Edward's face erased all of my willpower to fight my attraction to him, and the moment Jessica released me from her embrace, my feet began moving in his direction against my will.

I approached him cautiously, maintaining a distance from him appropriate for a professional relationship, though I desired nothing more than to wrap my arms around him and feel the entirety of his body pressed against me: powerful, warm, and comforting. He smiled downward at me, a tender expression complimenting his flawless features.

"Hello," he said, his voice as soft as velvet. His eyes burned brightly at me, and I realized that he too wished to close the gap between us. It was going to be difficult, I realized, to maintain the appearance of being mere acquaintances, when it was so obvious by our body language that we were far more.

"Hi," I replied meekly, turning my eyes towards the floor, unable to hedge the intensity of my gaze in any other way. I noticed in my periphery a blur of black hair and my eyes darted leftward to see Alice glaring towards us in disbelief, chastisement written clearly across her face, although I assumed the majority of it was directed at her brother and not me. Glancing upwards at Edward's face verified my suspicion, as he looked back at her with irritation. She made a small twirling motion with her fingers; a gesture that I assumed was an indication to make our exchange brief. Edward's brow furled slightly as he exhaled powerfully.

"Congratulations Miss Swan," he said, his gaze finding mine once again. I couldn't help but long for him as he pierced me with his golden eyes.

"Thank you Mister Cullen," I replied cordially, unemotionally, attempting to contain myself as best as I could. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, as though attempting to figure out what exactly he should do next. When he reopened them, vexation was written clearly across his face. I sighed.

"I'll see you in class then," I said in practically a whisper. His mouth pulled up slightly on the left side, although the gesture was only minimally enthusiastic.

"I'll look forward to it," He responded with a smirk, though defeat still lightly colored his tone. His eyes darted upward away from my face to gaze over my head. I turned, following his line of sight to see Jessica making her way through the crowd towards us, or more accurately, towards Edward, as she didn't appear to have noticed me yet. I felt my aggravation resurfacing intensely.

"I suppose it's time for you to play your part," I whispered, glancing away from him into the crowd. I felt the iron vice begin to tighten around my chest at the mere idea of Edward entertaining Jessica's fantasies. I understood the necessity of his actions, and I knew that I had given the idea my endorsement, but that did not make accepting it, or even being forced to witness the actions with my own eyes, any easier. I exhaled sharply, staring into space.

"I wish I didn't have too," He replied in a whisper, his voice thick with affection. I glanced up at him, to find his expression to be a battleground to between compassion and disinclination. I supposed he didn't desire this particular course of action any more than I did, or at least, that was what I felt content telling myself as my aggravation began to melt away beneath his gaze.

"Don't play it too well," I responded in a whisper, giving him a tender smile. He nodded at me, a magnificent smile breaking across his face, as I began to walk past him into the crowd. I couldn't help but ponder if he was aware of how entirely smitten I was with him, and I wasn't entirely sure that it would be a good thing if he were to discover how entirely enamored I was with him. I knew however, that as intuitive as he was, he had to have some inkling of the intensity of my affections, and it certainly did not seem to bother him, which was honestly almost inconceivable to me. Miraculous of course, but inconceivable nonetheless.

I was abruptly pulled from my introspection by the streak of Alice's jet black hair appearing before me almost instantaneously, as though she were but an apparition, causing me to abruptly jump in surprise. I stumbled backwards slightly, tripping over my own heel, and felt myself beginning to tumble backwards towards the ground before a hand suddenly grasped my arm, righting me. I saw Alice release my arm as she stood staring at me as though I were absolutely incredulous.

"Really Bella – you should be more careful," she said matter-of-factly, as though I had been intentionally graceless, which of course was an absurd notion.

"Maybe you shouldn't scare people to death then?" I suggested. Alice made a fanning motion with her hand as if to brush the idea off as preposterous. I couldn't help but chuckle at the spectacle of her, but my humor did not stay with me for long, as the thought of Edward with Jessica once again consumed my thoughts. I felt the hands of sorrow clench their way around my heart, and I seemed unable to shake them. I supposed it was possible after all that she could catch his eye. She was prettier than I was, at least in my opinion, and I hadn't the faintest idea what it was that drew him towards me. It seemed as inexplicable to me then as it had from the start.

Imprudently, I glanced over my shoulder in the direction of Edward and Jessica. Her left hand was adjusting his bowtie, a preposterous and unnecessary action, as Edward would never appear publicly with any portion of his attire even a fraction of an inch out of place, and her other hand was resting lightly upon the fabric concealing his flawlessly athletic chest. He was beaming down at her with a heart stopping smile, and in her expression I could see that she was as entirely blinded, as I often was, by his magnificence. I suddenly felt ablaze with venomous jealousy, and yet it also felt as though I had been submerged into a tub of freezing water, as the daggers of heartbreak punctured every inch of my skin. How could Jessica so willingly do this to me if she was truly my friend? Wasn't it as obvious to her as it had been to Angela that I was in love with him? A gentle hand landed itself on the exposed skin of my shoulder, and I swiveled my head quickly to see Alice gazing at me with obvious sympathy.

"Don't worry Bella. Nothing is going to happen between the two of them," Alice said with a gentle, soothing smile. I wished that I shared her confidence.

"I want to believe that Alice, I really do, but…" I began, feeling the frustration bubbling just beneath my skin.

"Trust me," Alice said with a warm smile, although I felt I could detect a certain edge of self-assuredness about it. My intuition flashed as I gazed at her. She was keeping something from me.

"How can you be so sure," I asked her, my voice edged with suspicion. She averted her gaze in a look of feigned innocence. I continued to glare at her until it became apparent to her that I was not simply going to allow her to get away with concealing her knowledge. After all, according to Alice, I was being inducted into her inner circle now. I could hold my weight in secrets. She sighed, resigning to answer my pondering.

"You don't hear the way he talks about you when you aren't around. It's a bit annoying actually, so believe me, you have nothing to worry about," she responded with a smirk. I meant to press her further, to find out exactly what she meant, but her determined expression told me that my prying would be a lost cause. Besides, based on what she had told me, it seemed that whatever he was telling her about me was positive, an indication of the strength of our relationship, and I could take comfort in that. I felt a smile pull up the corner of my lips, and again I glanced over my shoulder at Edward and Jessica, this time feeling far less jealousy for Jessica. No, this time I felt pity for her, watching her get molded like putty in the capable hands of my boyfriend. The word sent a rush of exhilaration through my body. It was a word I desired very much to use aloud, but decided it would be safer not to allow myself to even consider it a possibility. Things would certainly change if anyone found out about us. After all, our newly found enamorment was but a fragile flame. It was entirely possible that under scrutiny, it could burn out. It could suffocate. I shook the thought from my head, turning back to face Alice, exhaling deeply. Her smug smile melted into an expression of concern.

"What's wrong," she inquired. I felt as though I could admit anything to her golden stare. Perhaps it was a bad thing that she shared such a similar eye color to her brother.

"It's nothing," I said shaking my head. She cocked an eyebrow at me tilting her head, clearly not satisfied with my obvious lie. "I mean – It's just that it feels like there are always people watching," I sighed, shaking my head gently. "Is it too much for me to ask for some time alone with him?" I cringed beneath the sound of my own desperation, but Alice did not seemed troubled by my admission at all. On the contrary, she moved her hand gently on my shoulder, rubbing it back and forth beneath her palm.

"Bella, don't worry about that. Like I told you earlier, you'll have plenty of time together this weekend at the Halloween party. I'll make sure of it," she said, an excited smile illuminating her features. I looked at her skeptically, firstly because I was still unsure what Halloween party she was referring too, and secondly because a party certainly did not sound like an atmosphere of exclusivity, but rather like a place to continue to be forced to hide.

"Um – Alice, you do realize that I have absolutely no idea what party you are talking about right?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at her in befuddlement.

"Hmm," she mumbled. "I was certain that Edward would have mentioned it. Perhaps he was distracted by other, far less becoming activities," she said, rolling her eyes. Clearly she was referring to our earlier encounter in her bedroom, although I did not believe those activities to be unbecoming in the slightest. I stared back at her, trying my best to convey my lack of understanding in my expression.

"Well, next weekend is the annual Cullen Halloween party. Every year Edward and I throw a massive Halloween party at our home off campus. All of the Kappa's will be in attendance of course, as well as all the socialites, and noteworthy people of Lakefront," Alice said with conviction as my stomach twisted uncomfortably around her words. I felt as though I were going to crumble beneath my own weight.

"So I get to have the honor of being the bottom of the barrel," I practically sighted, gazing absently towards the floor.

"You will be nothing of the sort," Alice said resolutely. I glanced back up at her with an eyebrow raised.

"Why, because I'm with Edward?" I asked skeptically. "Because I should remind you that nobody actually knows that I'm with him. You of all people should realize that Alice!" I said, exasperation seeping into my tone.

"Of course not," she replied, clearly perplexed. "You aren't noteworthy because you are my brother's plus one. You're noteworthy because you're Bella Swan. A kappa! A head turning beauty. People notice you when you enter a room Bella, even if you don't notice them. Nobody in attendance will be above you," she said with a proud, triumphant grin. Her words worked their way through my head slowly, disbelief gripping my chest firmly. I wasn't an illustrious person, or even a person of moderate interest. I was simply a quiet girl, who kept to herself as much as she possibly could. This would certainly be no place for me, no matter what opinion of me Alice had gathered in her mind.

"Whatever you say Alice," I sighed, shaking my head at her lunacy.

"Don't sell yourself short Bella. You don't see yourself for what you're worth," she replied warmly. I could see this conversation was leading nowhere useful as she didn't seem to understand the folly of her own words, so I felt content to circle back to the problem at hand.

"But I still don't understand how a party is going to help grant me any time alone with Edward," I said, my expression conveying a measure of perplexity.

"Bella - Isn't it obvious?" she asked me, with a look of mock condescension. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Not really," I replied.

"You're staying the night at our house Bella," she said as though it were the most obvious conclusion in the world. I felt my heart thud in my chest. I would have an entire evening to spend with Edward. I would fall asleep in the same dwelling as him and awake the next morning to his charming smile. I could not have concocted a more perfect scenario myself. Alice as always was a genius. But suddenly, the reality of what it would take to pull such a feat off began to dawn upon me, and my curiosity got the better of me.

"But – how?" I asked, full of true hope for the first time in days.

"Here's the plan," she began, slapping her hand down upon her palm like the edge of a knife, "On Friday morning, pack everything you're going to need for the night into your backpack. You might have to carry your books," she said apologetically. "Take the backpack with you to your Journalism class. That should…"

"How did you know I have Journalism on Friday?" I asked in astonishment, interrupting her speech in its tracks. She simply rolled her eyes at me.

"You of all people should know better than to ask me that question," she replied. I shrugged my shoulders, contenting to release the mystery to the universe.

"As I was saying," she continued impatiently, "Take the backpack with you to your Journalism class. I'll be waiting for you in the corridor outside of the classroom. I'll have it hidden away, waiting for you when you arrive at my house that night. That evening I'll send a car to pick you up from your dorm while Jessica is in class," she said intently. My eyes widened.

"How did you know that…" she shot me a questioning look and I threw my hands up, backing away from the question. "Alright, Alright. I won't ask. I have to admit Alice, it sounds like a solid plan," I confessed reluctantly. Alice smiled smugly at me. I suddenly realized something she likely hadn't thought through however.

"But Alice, this is a Halloween party right?" I asked. Alice looked at me quizzically.

"Yes?" she asked clearly unsure of where I was headed with my line of questioning.

"Alice, I don't have a costume," I informed her, unsure of where to even find something of the sort or what I should attend as. Alice scoffed at me.

"Oh please Bella. What kind of friend do you think I am?" she asked feigning insult. "Your costume will be waiting for you at my house. You can change when you arrive. I've also gone to great lengths to ensure Edward has no idea what it is, so you can have the satisfaction of seeing his surprise," she said with a devious grin. I had to admit, there seemed to be nothing beyond Alice's capabilities, and I felt rather certain that she was aware of that fact.

"I have to hand it to you Alice, you've really outdone yourself this time," I said with an expression of disbelief mixed with admiration.

"Oh please, it's a trifle," she said waving her hands as if to brush the compliment away from her. Her gaze was suddenly fixed on something over my shoulder, before she rapidly glanced back at me, her gaze intent.

"Bella, just remember my instructions and stick to the plan," she began, speaking very rapidly. "Jessica is coming back over this way. Remember, don't let her get under your skin, she doesn't hold a candle to you," Alice said with an endearing smile before dashing away from me lithely, clearly wanting to make herself scarce before Jessica noticed her. I supposed that was only fair. Only one Cullen per evening should have to fall upon their sword for Jessica I supposed. I felt a finger tap excitedly on my shoulder.

"Bella!" Jessica squealed with excitement, and I inhaled deeply, plastering the grandest, most enthusiastic smile I could muster across my face.

"Hey Jess. Are you ready to go?" I asked with a masquerade of civility. She nodded excitedly and I hardened my heart to what I knew I was about to have to endure.

"You are never going to believe who I just talked to!" she began excitedly. This was going to be insufferable.

"Who?" I asked with feigned excitement.

"Edward Cullen!" she practically squealed as we made our way down the stone steps out front of Kappa house, walking away from the veil of light into the darkness of the night.

"No way," I gasped, knowing fully that she desired to do far more than talk with him. I quickly reeled in my venomous thoughts.

"Yes way. He seemed really excited to see me too. He told me my dress looked really pretty! And oh my god, he looked so gorgeous. You should smell his cologne too. It's really masculine and kind of smells like hiking and…" I was all too familiar with his scent and in no way needed Jessica's description of it, for it still swam through my head every time I was alone. I did however, find it interesting that he had not called Jessica beautiful, but rather her dress. I couldn't help but smile at that.

"… his body. I bet it must be incredible! Just look at all of that muscle! And his lips - Ugh! I bet he is an incredible kisser! I bet that he…" I found myself fighting hard to stifle an irritated chuckle as I listened to Jessica's wildest fantasies about being with Edward, most of which consisted of things that I had already had the pleasure of experiencing, like the exceptional, heart stopping power of his lips meshing firmly with mine, and the mesmerizing comfort of his powerful embrace. Still, even though I had had the satisfaction of partaking in many of the actions that Jessica now set forward for me, I couldn't help but feel the fiery rage of jealousy filling me inside, knowing that all she desired was the man with whom I was smitten, the man with whom I wished to spend all of my time. It was more than moderately infuriating.

"… said that he would! What do you think that means? Do you think he likes me?" she asked as we walked through the door into our dormitory. I held in a sigh, attempting to maintain my composure. I too had a part to play now it seemed, and I needed to perform it with as much skill as Edward apparently had. I would have to have a chat with him later about his dedication to the role.

"I guess so Jessica," I said with a smile, attempting to keep my acidic thoughts from tarnishing the expression. She beamed at me gleefully as I grabbed my pajamas and darted into the bathroom to shower, mostly so that I could finally release the deep sigh I had been holding in for the last ten minutes of our conversation. I did not want to see Jessica again for the rest of the night. I turned the faucet on, and allowed the steamy water to wash my woes away into oblivion.

The rest of my week seemed to crawl by more slowly than attempting to watch the grass grow, although the grass was doing very little growing at that point, as the campus was bathed in the vibrant golds, oranges, reds and browns of autumn. The days were cool, brisk, and pleasant, and everywhere about campus things seemed warm and earthen. Unfortunately it did very little to help pass the time, though at least a mild amount of progress had been made.

Edward seemed to have finally determined how to strike a balance with me in biology, acknowledging me each day upon entering the room, smiling warmly at me, and usually following it with a nod of gratitude towards the ever loyal Angela who had faithfully kept her vow of secrecy. She had even informed me in one of our biology classes that a floral arrangement had been delivered to her dormitory, with a card that simply read:

 _I am eternally in your debt._

 _With Gratitude,_

 _E.C._

I had smiled warmly to myself upon discovering that Edward had sent her such a gift. Angela was one of the kindest, most loyal people I had ever met, and he seemed determined to reward her for that trait. I had truly found a chivalrous gentleman in Edward. I smiled even more brightly to myself at how grateful I was for his presence in my life. He was truly an angel.

The morning finally arrived when it was time for me to begin packing away my belongings, which were to be sent off to the Cullen house in an inconspicuous backpack. Jessica, as always, was out of our room early for her classes, leaving me alone with my thoughts, pondering what to store away in my backpack to deliver to Alice. I ended up settling on mostly simple things, trying to simply be the girl that I truly was. I eventually decided to bring a pair of sweatpants to sleep in, although they were in much better condition than most of my pairs, and a nightshirt made of soft, stretchy fabric. I also packed a spare outfit for the following morning, as well as a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and some shampoo and conditioner, as I was certain that Edward would not wish to be in my presence if I was unhygienic. I folded all of my belongings neatly into the backpack, grabbed my textbook and binder and set off across the campus.

My heart pounded as I made my way across the expansive lawns, wondering if any onlookers would notice Alice awaiting my exchange. She was after all, extremely recognizable about campus, and I felt certain somebody would notice me handing her an entire book bag in such a conspicuous location as the exterior of a journalism classroom. However, upon entering the communications building, I found Alice to be nowhere in sight. I couldn't help but be miffed by her absence. I wondered if she had forgotten our arrangement, or if perhaps I had gotten the date confused, but I knew with certainty that it was Friday. Yet still, Alice was nowhere to be found. I had begun walking towards the door of the journalism classroom when a small figure in a hooded sweatshirt waved at me from beside the water fountain. It appeared to be a high school aged boy, with long jet black bangs dangling in front of his face. His hood obscured the rest of his outline so I was entirely unsure of what to make of him. He gestured frantically at me for me to walk in his direction, and I hesitantly obliged. It was only upon reaching him, seeing him push his black bangs away from his face to reveal his piercing golden eyes, that I realized that the person before me was not a teenage boy, but was in fact Alice. Her disguise was incredibly convincing and I couldn't help but stare at her in awe.

"Do you have everything you need," she whispered to me.

"I – I think so. Alice why are you…" I began, but she quickly snatched the backpack out of my hand.

"It's more advantageous for us if I'm not noticed. Trust me," she said throwing her bangs back over her face, her hood back on top of her head and spinning lithely in the opposite direction and prancing away.

"See you tonight," I called after her. She waved her hand in acknowledgement and briskly strolled out the door. I stood, staring dumbstruck for a few moments at where she had been. I wondered if Alice ever became any more predictable over time, or if I simply always needed to be on my toes in her presence. My pocket vibrated lightly, and I shifted my books into my left arm, and retrieved my cell phone carefully from my pocket. The following message was displayed brightly on my screen:

 _From: Alice Cullen_

 _Remember! Stick to the plan. Xoxo_

I sighed. She was nothing if not thorough. That much I had to give her.

I shook my head slightly to clear my thoughts and turned to enter my journalism class. The room was rather bare, with brightly illuminated white walls in every direction, and a computer adorning every desk, although we had seldom been allowed to use them yet, as we were only in the introductory Journalism class. Still, every time I entered the classroom I felt warmer inside, as though I could see my future spelled out before me. One day I would be working in a room much like this one, only my name would be spelled out on a plaque across the front of the desk, with the word _editor_ following it.

Ms. Cope, our journalism professor, stood from her desk and walked to the podium at the center of the room, facing all of our puzzled expressions, for unlike when we typically entered the classroom, there was no class agenda written across the whiteboard.

"In today's class there will be no lecture," she began, brushing her strawberry blonde curls from her face absently with her hand. "Instead I will only be giving you an assignment. You may either use the rest of class to work on it, or if you wish, you may leave, and complete it on your own time," she said, her eyes drifting about the room, scanning over us. "Each of you will be writing a human interest piece of the type you would normally see in the Lakefront Gazette. It needs to be between one thousand to two thousand words long, and can be about any human interest story you wish, whether it be about a friend, a member of the community, a teacher, or a loved one. The student who has the best piece, will find their story in the mid November edition of the Lakefront Gazette," she said with an exacting smile. "That student will also be given additional opportunities to write at the paper after their piece has been published. Of course, winning the contest is not required for a passing grade. That only requires an adequate piece of writing, but it certainly will open many opportunities to the student who receives it," she said, nodding at us purposefully. "The piece needs to be submitted to the drop box two weeks from today by midnight, so I wouldn't recommend delaying for too long. You may begin."

I felt myself freeze in shock of the stupendous opportunity that had been presented to me: the chance to author a piece for a real newspaper, to have my piece read by the entire student body. It was unequaled in scope to any opportunity I had ever received, and I felt passion burn brightly within me. I wanted to be the winner. I wanted my piece in the gazette. There was only one minor issue. I had absolutely no Idea what on earth to write about. I had no interesting stories, no interesting family life, and no friends who were currently doing anything noteworthy, or at least nothing noteworthy that I was at liberty to discuss, seeing as how both Edward and Alice were not permissible topics of writing, both for their own privacy, and because nobody was allowed to know that Edward and I were romantically involved.

I stared blankly at the computer screen before me, willing an interesting topic into my head, and becoming increasingly frustrated when nothing presented itself. After staring blankly at the monitor for an indeterminable amount of time, I finally collected my belongings and stomped out of the room in exasperation. I was finally given an opportunity to do something that I felt confident I could actually do well, and I found myself stricken with an incurable case of writer's block. To say it was inconvenient would have been a vast understatement. I emerged from the journalism lab into the brightly lit hallway of the communication building to see Angela looking down the hallway at me from a bench. The moment she saw me emerge from the room, she stood instantly and dashed over towards me in haste, closing the distance quickly. I stared at her bewildered. What on earth was she doing?

"Bella. Are you alright?" She asked me frantically. I was admittedly confused.

"…Yes?" I responded, bewildered and still frustrated from my efforts in the lab. Angela assessed my expression carefully.

"You seem – upset," she replied. I had absolutely no idea where she was going with her line of questioning but since she had asked, I figured that I might as well vent about my frustrations in journalism class.

"Well – yes – I am. We just got an opportunity to write a human interest piece for the Lakefront Gazette, which is incredible." I said, my eyebrows shooting upwards. "My only dilemma is that I have absolutely nothing to write about. I'm coming up completely blank. But this is an incredible opportunity. I have to win the contest Angela! How am I supposed to do that if I have nothing to write about?" I asked, frustration pouring forth from me. Angela smiled at me timidly, something else clearly preoccupying her mind.

"I'm sure you'll think of something Bella," she said, somewhat reassuringly. I exhaled deeply.

"I know. I suppose I could have far greater problems to deal with," I said with another sigh, surveying Angela's worried expression.

"Bella," she began cautiously, "I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm afraid that you already do have a far greater problem to deal with," she said, her eyes solemn. I felt something grip me internally, as though something had frozen me from the inside.

"A problem like what," I almost whispered, dreading whatever news Angela was about to deliver. She gulped.

"A problem like this," she whispered, holding up the periodical before me. My breathing immediately ceased, and my heart fell through my chest clear to my toes. I suddenly felt lightheaded as panic clutched at me with incredible strength, as I saw the photo of Edward sprawled across the front page of the Shoreline Inquirer, with his hand running through my hair. I almost couldn't see the headline through my tunnel vision. I didn't need to read the words sprawled across the page to understand what was happening.

 _WHO IS EDWARD CULLEN'S MYSTERY GIRL?_

There was only one thing of which I was certain. This was how my perfect world would come to an end.


	15. Chapter 15

I could not move. I could not breathe. I simply stood frozen in place and allowed the waves of shock to ravage me, as they flowed up and down my body with an intensity akin to being sprayed with freezing cold water. I wanted to cause the page to vanish before me, but instead the photograph burned its way into my memory, where I would never be able to escape it. It was there on the front page plain as day: his hand woven into the back of my hair, his lips clearly flush with mine. His face was as recognizable as ever, but as I stared in horror at it, an idea crossed my mind.

"Angela, look at it closer," I whispered. Angela shot me a puzzled look, but complied with my request, glancing down at the photo as I did. I had begun to notice something that had initially evaded me. My face was not visible in the picture, nor was my dress or my body. Whoever had taken the photo through the open window of Alice's second story bedroom, had done so from the ground, creating an angle that caused almost all of my body to be obscured by the dresser along Alice's wall. All that was visible of me was my dark brunette hair, and ever the slightest sliver of my pale cheek and lips. It was impossible to tell who I was.

"Angela, could you tell that this was me in this photo if you hadn't already known that it was?" I asked her, my gaze suddenly intense. She scrutinized the photo for a few moments.

"No – I don't think so," Angela replied, her anxious gaze softening slightly, "But I can't be sure." I paused for a moment, allowing the wheels of my thoughts to spin faster and faster, searching for a way to feel more certain. Suddenly an idea occurred to me.

"I need to ask Alice," I told Angela, glancing back down at the paper that she held in her hand. "And would you put that thing away please," I begged her frantically. Angela's eyes widened in realization at what she was doing, and quickly crammed the paper into her backpack where nobody would be able to see me next to the evidence that damned me.

I pulled my cell phone swiftly from my back pocket, unlocking it with my fingertip. I quickly found Alice in my contacts and had the phone up to my ear the moment her number had been dialed. The phone only rang one time before I was connected to Alice. I didn't give her a chance to speak.

"Can you tell that it's me in the photo? I know you are already aware of what I'm talking about because you know everything, so I'm not even going to explain." I said frantically into the phone. Angela shot me a worried look and put her hand softly on my shoulder. Her presence was mildly calming, something that I very much needed in the moment.

"There's nothing in the photo that distinguishes you at all, accept for your hair color. Because of the angle it's difficult to even be able to tell how tall you are Bella. I think you're fine this time. You got very, very lucky," she said, her tone weighed down with significance. I could hear the vague mumbling of another voice in the background of our phone call, speaking indistinguishably.

"Edward agrees," she said. "He doesn't believe anyone will be able to identify you, although why we should believe the reckless idiot is beyond my comprehension," Alice said with irritation. "I told you that Eric Yorkie and his friends were deviously discreet, but of course, you never listen," she finished, clearly speaking away from the handset to Edward. I let the jab wash past me. All that mattered to me in that moment was that Edward's soothing voice was accessible to me.

"Edward is there?" I gasped at her. "Can I speak to him?" I pleaded. She sighed audibly on the other end of the telephone line.

"I suppose," she said with mock aggravation, snickering slightly. I waited as I heard the noises of the phone transferring from her hands to his.

"Hello," he said, the telephone not doing the crystal clear velvety texture of his voice justice at all. I couldn't bring myself to speak at first; I was far too fearful that he would not wish to speak with me after getting caught. I couldn't possibly be worth the terrible wrath that would be brought down upon us should we be discovered and so I stayed quiet, entirely unsure what to say.

"Bella?" he asked, his voice filled with worry, "are you there?" I willed myself to speak.

"Yes," I whispered. There was no sound on the other end of the phone line.

"Bella are you alright?" he asked me, his tone colored with concern.

"I don't know," I replied softly, my voice trembling.

"Bella it's going to be fine. Nobody is going to be able to tell that it's you," he said reassuringly. I sighed, feeling the air move out of my body and willing my stress away with it. Edward was of course, correct. Nobody would be able to identify me, but I still felt entirely unsure of what course of action we should take.

"Should I not come tonight," I asked breathlessly. It seemed to me to be the only way to ensure that we were not caught. After all, if a brunette showed up at the Cullen party just hours after it was leaked that Edward had been seen courting a mysterious brunette, it wouldn't take much for the pieces to come together.

"No, no. Don't be unreasonable," he responded in a soothing voice. "There will be plenty of other girls in attendance. Nothing about you will be distinct. Just follow the plan. Everything will work out in the end," He said. I hoped that he was not mistaken.

"Alright," I replied softly, "I'll see you tonight," I whispered.

"I miss you," he responded softly. I couldn't stop myself from smiling longingly.

"I miss you too," I replied.

"Alright, go about your day like normal. I'll be by to pick you up at six, alright?" He said.

"Okay," I whispered, before remembering an important detail that I felt I ought to inquire about. "Wait, Edward! What type of car will you be driving?" I asked. I heard him chuckle lightly on the other end of the line, and could imagine the smirk that must have spread across his face.

"I think you'll know it when you see it. Just wait for me behind building thirteen. I'll see you at six Bella," he replied before the phone line cut off abruptly. I pulled the phone away from my ear, staring at it with a confounded expression. _I'll know it when I see it._ What on earth that was supposed to mean, I pondered to myself. Angela shot me an inquisitive look, obviously concerned about my expression.

"Bella what's wrong?" she asked softly. I glanced up at her, genuinely confused.

"Nothing," I replied, racking my brain for an explanation. "Sometimes Edward can just be unnecessarily cryptic. That's all. But he agrees with you and Alice. He doesn't think anyone could identify me from that photo." I replied. Relief washed over Angela's face, obviously pleased that Edward and I were unlikely to be discovered from the photos. Still, I knew we had to be more careful. We had come far too close for comfort. Angela's expression suddenly twisted wryly, her smile turning teasing.

"I get the feeling that you enjoy cryptic," she said with a chuckle. I couldn't help but chuckle with her.

"Perhaps I do," I said with a wide grin, before my mind wandered errantly back to the time I had spent crouched beneath his desk, discovering the gleaming blade taped mere inches from my head, its edge serrated, jagged, and deadly. It seemed that Edward was far more mysterious than I would allow myself to believe. I couldn't help but ponder what other secrets he was able to keep veiled away where I was unlikely to find them. Perhaps he had a reason to be cryptic. Perhaps I should be afraid, even though being afraid of him felt nearly impossible. My gleeful expression had melted away, replaced by an expression of sobriety as I stared aimlessly past Angela into space. "Perhaps I do…"

The walk across campus from the communications was not a peaceful one. With every step I could feel penetrating gazes following me, analyzing me, recognizing me as the girl on the front page of the magazine, as the mystery woman that the entire campus would soon be searching to uncover. Whether or not the gazes were real, or simply figures of my imagination I was unsure, but I still felt tightness in my chest, as though one wrong step on the sidewalk would betray my identity to the world and tear me away from the one that I loved. I could not bring myself to think of it, the moment that Edward would be forced to leave my side. It seemed to me to be a fate worse than purgatory. It was simply unimaginable.

I felt a measured amount of relief walking through the door of my building, as though the closer to my door I got, the lighter the weight on my shoulders and chest became. I turned the key in the lock, waiting for the electronic beep that signified that I was able to enter my room. The instant I heard it, I yanked the door towards me and practically threw myself through the doorway. I allowed the door to slam behind me, and leaned backwards against the door, sliding my back down its cool metallic surface, until I was crouched on the ground, allowing myself to absorb the stillness around me. Only, the stillness was filled with a muffled breathing that sounded almost like sniffling. I opened my eyes, puzzled at the source of the sound, and saw Jessica leaning over her desk. I stood immediately and strode over to her side, placing my hand on her back. It was obvious to me that she had been crying, something I had never before seen her do. It seemed uncharacteristic of her to be so dejected, and I resolved to get to the bottom of the issue.

"Jessica," I began softly, watching her form heaving over her desk with her head on her folded arms and her curled hair flayed out across the wooden surface, sprawling in every direction.

"Jess what's the matter?" I asked her gently. She peeled herself slowly off of her desk, blowing her tangled hair from her face, as she tried unsuccessfully not to sniffle.

"I don't understand," she said in a faint sob. I was unable to respond to her, as I was immediately gripped by absolute terror. Lying tearstained on Jessica's desk, where her hair had been sprawled out moments ago, was the front page of the Shoreline Inquirer. It took everything inside of me not to hurl on the tear soaked image of Edwards face, to stopper my horror in its place, to attempt to calm my galloping heart. I could not breath, I could not speak, and I could not imagine the pain I was about to experience as my future was instantly decimated in a single blow. I stood in rigid silence behind her, awaiting the horror of her judgement. There would not be a soul at Lakefront that did not know the identity of Edward Cullen's mystery girl by sundown. Of that I was certain.

"I don't get it Bella," she whimpered. I remained frozen in place behind her.

"Why would he flirt with me, talk to me like he did at the ceremony, if he was with some other woman?" She asked in practically a whisper. My breath caught hard in my throat and my eyes almost burst forth from my skull. She hadn't recognized me. Even with the evidence staring her in the face, she still had not recognized me. Could the stars have aligned any more perfectly than they had at that moment? I tried to clear my head, to think of how best to comfort her, but my shock kept my fingers rigid, and my voice horse. I knew Jessica was expecting an answer and so I did the best that I could to keep my voice flat.

"Perhaps it's just a rumor," I said as softly as I could, hoping that the shaking in my voice wasn't apparent to her. She scoffed audibly at me.

"The article says that an inside source told the magazine that they've know each other for years," she said with conviction, believing the lie that had been fed to her as truth. If the situation had been less precarious it's possible that I could have found it humorous.

"You know you can't trust any publication with unnamed sources," I told her in as reassuring a tone as I could muster in the moment. "As a journalism student I can assure you of that," I said, pushing through the choked air that was caught in my throat. "I'm sure that it's nothing Jess," I assured her.

" _He's eating her face!_ " she practically belted at me. "That is not _nothing!_ " I took a step back, distancing myself from the quickly destabilizing Jessica, in case she suddenly tried anything rash, or worse, discovered my identity. "Whoever she is, I _hate_ her," Jessica spat towards the page venomously. "I don't want to see him tonight anymore," she said, suddenly sullen.

"Perhaps if you saw him tonight you could talk with him about it," I said before I could catch myself, realizing that I had just pawned Jessica off upon Edward. He was in no way deserving of facing her alone. He deserved far better treatment, and I knew I would have to warn him, and of course, apologize profusely. Jessica began nodding her head rapidly, her eyes seemingly out of focus.

"Yeah, yeah, that could work. But I don't want him to think that I'm waiting around for him either," she said spinning to face me. I put on the blankest expression I could, not wishing to convey to her the level of my anxiety. Her eyes darted around the room in deep thought, before she whipped her phone rapidly out of her purse, tapped the screen twice, and held the phone up to her ear.

"Who are you calling?" I asked bewildered.

"Hey Mike," she said innocently, using the most flirtatious, over the top voice she could muster.

"Are you free tonight?" she asked. I could hear a muffled voice reply on the other end of the line. She began gathering her backpack, as she must have realized that in her despair she had lost track of time. Her physics lecture began in less than five minutes and so she quickly slid a pair of shoes on her feet and began walking towards the door without even acknowledging my question.

"Great! Meet me outside of my building at seven-thirty," she said, waving at me sideways as she walked out the door before it slammed in my face. Jessica's moods moved far too quickly for me to keep up with even on a normal day, but distraught Jessica was altogether a different monster, one that I wished desperately never to cross paths with again.

Jessica's departure meant that the time had come for me to depart as well, and so I threw back on my cardigan, wrapping my neck in an orange scarf, and departed my room. As I climbed down the stairs, I realized that I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from Edward's arrival. He had said that I would know his vehicle when I saw it, but I was entirely unsure in what way he meant it. Perhaps it was because I would be able to clearly see him in the driver's seat, leaving no doubt that the car was his. Or perhaps his car in some way stuck out like a sore thumb. I could almost envision it, an older automobile, covered in rust and peeling paint that clearly looked older than Edward himself. I couldn't help but laugh at the lunacy of my own thoughts. With everything I knew about Edward and the rest of his family, I knew it to be laughably impossible to even so much as imagine him in anything less than a respectable vehicle. He was nothing if not sophisticated after all, but that still left me pondering, as I made my way past the rows of dormitories, what exactly he had meant when he said that I would know his car when I saw it. The moment I rounded the corner of the last dormitory to face the vacant street, my every nervous expectation vanished instantly, being entirely replace by complete and total wonderment.

Parked along the sidewalk was the most beautiful vehicle I had ever seen in person. It was sleek, and aerodynamic, with silver paint that gave the car a futuristic windswept sheen. It was a car that clearly had enough power to practically outrun a jet and yet was chic enough to still be beautifully sophisticated. Leaning against the side of the vehicle with the passenger side door extended skyward, stood a man even more gorgeous than the automobile against which he was perched. He leaned with one foot against the silver finish, wearing a black leather jacket that appeared to have been ripped straight from a fashion show. The mirrored sunglasses he wore ornamented his flawless face nearly perfectly, and from his perch he shot me a dazzling crooked smile, lifting his sunglasses ever so slightly from his face to wink at me. I felt almost as though the breath had been knocked clean out of me as I stood staring at the flawless finesse of both the man and the machine in front of me. I could not believe that I was actually present to witness it.

"See, you didn't have any trouble finding it at all now did you?" he asked, smiling at me mockingly. I stared back at him, my mouth agape in sheer awe. He chuckled to himself at my reaction, before he looked at me with a slightly more concerned demeanor.

"Well, what do you think?" he asked, gesturing to the car. My response was entirely unfiltered, and I had no power to keep the words from escaping my mouth.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed. He cocked his head sideways at me, both chuckling slightly but also seemingly a bit confused.

"I'm going to assume that's a positive reaction," He said, his mouth twisted upwards in a gleeful smile.

"Is that a Lamborghini?" I asked, still dumbfounded.

"Yes…" he answered hesitantly, as though he were uncertain where I was headed with my train of thought.

"Then _of course_ it's a positive reaction. Do you think I've _ever_ _seen_ a Lamborghini before?" I asked, practically shouting in my state of incredulity. He paused for a moment as though to take in the sight before him. He seemed amused by my enthusiasm.

"Would you care to actually ride in it or would you rather just stare at it here on the curb?" he asked facetiously. I rolled my eyes at him as I stepped forward to the car.

"Of course I want to ride in it. It's a Lamborghini," I muttered under my breath as he offered me his sturdy hand, helping me downward into the car, shaking his head with a subtle chuckle at my muttering.

He walked around the vehicle and entered the driver's seat. The car purred to life beneath him with a sound I had never before heard any vehicle make in my life. It was to the sound of an engine, what his voice was when compared with a normal man: smooth powerful velvet. The car accelerated rapidly out of its parking space. In a way, the car was a perfect match to the man who was operating it: powerful, beautiful, and sleek. It was truly exceptional. A thought fell out of my mouth before I could stopper it.

"You wonder why your family has such prominence around Lakefront, yet you drive around in a Lamborghini. Makes perfect sense," I said more to myself than to Edward.

"Think of it more as an appeasement if you will. If you were to have to ability to do so, would you not allow yourself one small indulgence?" He asked softly of me.

"You call this small?" I asked mockingly. He chuckled slightly at me before revving the engine, causing the car to propel us more powerfully forward. Seeing Edward behind the wheel of the vehicle, seeing its power respond so willingly to his touch, the way the leather jacket clung to his shoulders, as his sunglasses clung to his face; he exuded an energy of pure masculine virility. I found him to be almost overwhelmingly seductive, and I suddenly felt myself brimming with carnal desires, desires that I knew I must unfortunately control.

"You look very…" I had to pause for a moment to find the right word for it, "… _fetching_ – today." I said, feeling it would be inappropriate to call him sexy, even though he irrefutably was. The corner of his mouth turned up at the edge into a slight smirk.

"Do I?" He asked almost mockingly. I grinned slightly against my will, unable to deny what I had said, and sufficed to simply nod at him in confirmation. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes.

"Well, thank you," he said alluringly. "You look rather breathtaking yourself," he said, his eyes quickly glancing up and down my form, although what he found to be breathtaking I was rather unsure of in my rather unspectacular attire. Still, I felt the crimson heat work its way to my cheeks, and looked downward at my hands.

"Thanks," I said softly, keeping my face safely away from him. I felt his sturdy hand place itself gently upon my shoulder, rubbing its way upwards towards my neck. My breathing hitched at his touch, as the smell of the forest flooded over me. I had to distract myself to prevent my sensual desires from returning.

"Hands on the wheel mister. The car can't drive itself," I said curtly, wishing that his hand would find its way further across my body.

"You don't know that it can't," He said teasingly. I glared at him out of the corner of my eye. He withdrew his hand from my shoulder. "Your wish is my command, Milady." He said with just a hint of sarcasm. I rolled my eyes at him.

We pulled off the main street and into a neighborhood of quaint yet charming homes, stopping before a white house with two small windows on the second floor overlooking the street. The house was framed with reddish brown brick, and white wooden paneling, and a flowing vine grew up a lattice attached to the front porch. It had Alice's touch written all over it, and I knew the moment I saw it that it was Edward's. He parked the car in the short driveway before the house, and shot out of the driver's side of the vehicle, coming around the front of the car to open my door for me, offering me his hand. I wondered if I would ever get used to his chivalry. I wondered if I wanted to get used to his chivalry at all, for if I became accustomed to it, I felt certain I would no longer be able to see him for the incredible person that he was. I hoped never to find myself in that predicament.

He guided me by the hand up the porch steps, stopping me before the front door, inhaling deeply as though he were apprehensive about something. I looked at him quizzically.

"Bella," he said, turning his face downward towards me, his gaze brilliantly intense.

"Yes?" I asked softly.

"I'm very glad that you're here," he said. I smiled warmly at him. "And not just at the party, but at my home, and in my life," he finished tenderly. I gazed up at him adoringly, as he ran his fingers down the exposed skin of my neck, sending electric jolts darting across my skin. His fingers tilted my head sideways gently as his lips connected ever so softly with the skin of my neck below my ear. Where his lips touched me, my skin burned as though it had been engulfed in flame, and my heart sputtered fanatically with my need for him. I attempted to control my jagged breathing as he pulled his lips away from my skin, and grasped my hand in his, meshing his fingers with mine. He looked down at me with a benevolent smile, and inhaled again opening the door with his other hand and guiding me through the threshold into his home.

As I stepped through the doorway, I immediately noticed that the interior of the house was equally as charming as the exterior, with white wooden columns extending from the floor to the ceiling across the open space. Directly in front of the entryway was the beautiful kitchen area, complete with modern stainless steel appliances and a beautiful backsplash of grey and black tiles that perfectly accented the antique white cabinets. On the countertops was an impressive spread of crudité and cheeses, snacks and drinks for the party that evening. The furniture was all a modern twist on antique pieces that would have been common in the nineteen twenties, and truly gave the space an incredible character. It was chic, sophisticated, and surprisingly reverent of the past. I was instantly amazed by it.

In the center of the open space Alice stood upon a ladder, hanging strings of artificial spider webs from the ceiling of the room. A tall, very athletic looking man stood at the base of the ladder, seemingly ready to catch her if she were to fall. His face was handsome, and his dirty blonde locks of hair curled downward to his jawline. I knew instantly that it was Alice's fiancé, and he was every ounce as sophisticated as she herself was, although clearly he was a far more imposing figure.

"I was wondering when you two were going to show up," Alice said in mock disapproval, not looking away from her decorating.

"Alice," Edward said, acknowledging her with a nod. "Wouldn't you care to introduce them?" He asked with a slight manner of irritated impudence.

"Oh of course," she said as though seemingly realizing something that should have been obvious. She hopped gracefully to the floor from her ladder and pranced nimbly in my direction, the imposing man trailing closely behind her.

"Bella," she began, "this is my fiancé, Jasper." She gestured towards the man behind her, who towered over me exactly as Edward did. "He works for a financial advisement company down in the loop," she said, looking at him with clear admiration. I was quite unsure of what a financial advisor was supposed to look like, but I was absolutely certain that Jasper was not in any way what I had expected. He seemed far more suited to be a specialized weapons combatant, or perhaps a street fighter, than he would be as a financial advisor. He had the intangible appearance of a person who had needed to survive in horrid conditions, although I was aware that I was likely just imagining things as I often did.

"Jasper, this is Bella, Edward's girlfriend, and my dear, dear friend," she said, smiling endearingly at me.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Ma'am," he said, a hint of southern drawl apparent in his voice, yet another quality I had not expected from him. His eyes seemed to survey me with intense scrutiny, as though he were attempting to size me up.

"Likewise," I responded courteously.

"Alright," Alice began, clapping her hands together. "I have to take Bella into the other room to get her into her costume. You two should go do the same, and after that – Just keep yourselves occupied. I honestly don't care what you do just stay out of my way," she said, her voice ringing with dominance.

Edward shrugged his shoulders callously and began to meander his way towards the kitchen, as Alice latched onto my wrist and began pulling me around the corner and through a doorway.

"And don't even think about touching the food Edward," She shouted over her shoulder. I couldn't help but snicker as I saw him back away from the food suddenly, as though pretending he had never been headed for the snacks to begin with.

Alice's room was far more subtle, yet far more sophisticated than her room had been at the Kappa house. It was of a much more down to earth style, much warmer, more homely, and less ostentatious, while still being distinctly Alice. Lying in the middle of her elegant bed, were several folded clothing items laid across the comforter.

"Your costume," she said smiling at me. "Snow white, because if you are so determined that my brother be your Prince Charming, then why shouldn't you get to be a princess for the evening," she said with a devious smile. I would have argued with every word that Alice had just spoken had I not known that it would have been of absolutely no use. I knew Alice to be unstoppable, and when she set herself to a task, it would take a force of nature standing in her way to stop her vision from becoming reality, and even then, I was quite unsure that even a force of nature would halt her at that.

She left me alone in the room for few minutes so that I could change out of my day cloths and into my costume. Once again, even without having sized me in any way other than by simple observation, she seemed to have contoured the outfit to meet my every curve. The perfect ruffles of my shoulders, the skintight blue fabric that hugged my torso, and the glorious yellow skirt that surrounded my legs looked as though they had been pulled directly from a fairy tale. I had to admit looking in the mirror, even with my hair still draping undone over my costume, I looked more like a princess than I ever had in my life. Alice stepped through the door behind me almost silently, the smile of a proud sibling plastered across her face.

"You look even more beautiful than I had imagined," she said gently. She had managed to change in the short amount of time that she had been absent, as well as fix her hair upwards in a style reminiscent of Jackie Kennedy, as her costume was obviously meant to portray, although Alice wore it less like a costume and more like the piece of custom designed couture that I was fairly certain it was. Alice guided me into the chair that sat before the grand mirror on top of her counter. She pulled my hair backwards, pulling a red, jewel encrusted headband into it. I had to admit I looked rather dazzling, even in the presence of Alice, a feat that I would have previously considered impossible. I attributed it to be because of her handiwork that I had turned out so entirely presentable. Alice smiled warmly at me, guiding me back towards the door of her room, ready it seemed, for my grand reveal.

When I emerged from Alice's room back into the primary living room, I couldn't help but wonder whether this was actually my grand reveal to the world, or the room's grand reveal to me. Nothing looked as it had merely half an hour ago when I had disappeared through Alice's doorway. Somehow, in that short amount of time, all of the furniture had be completely rearranged, leaving a large vacant space in the center of the room, in which people would surely be dancing in just a few hours' time. Every table's surface had been covered in sparkling orange table cloths, and a hazy mist hung in the air, through which the party lights that had been erected in my absence left streaks of colored light. Along the previously vacant counter space near the ornate snack station now rested an entire shelf of liquors and wines, along with disposable cups, and rows upon rows of shot glasses. Even the ceiling had been completed, full of spider webs and other various lights that had been mounted against the center column of the room. I should have known better than to underestimate what Alice was capable of, but even for her, the speed with which the transformation had occurred was nothing short of miraculous. The few party guests that had already arrived, none of which I recognized, seemed to agree with my assessment.

"Alice," I gasped, "how did you do this so quickly?" I asked in dumbfounded amazement. She smiled at me with a hint of modest boastfulness.

"Bella, what is my one rule?" she asked me teasingly. I sighed, looking at her in amazement.

"Don't ask," I conceded. I certainly had to give Jessica one thing, she knew how to pick a role model, although I had come to the realization that her aspirations were impossible to achieve. There was after all, only one Alice.

As Alice twirled away to greet some of the newer arrivals, being the ever gracious host that she was, I noticed a pair of glistening, golden eyes appraising me from across the room. The corner of his mouth pulled up slightly at the edges, as he began to casually make his way across the empty space towards me. I immediately noticed that he no longer wore the same outfit, having changed to prepare himself for the party. Gone was the black leather jacket, and the dark skintight jeans, replaced with a fitted, light blue button up shirt, and long, fitted, though not skin tight, khaki pants. His outfit change was likely for the better, as I had become almost overwhelmingly titillated by him earlier in the day. I doubted my self-control was strong enough not to have committed any action that would have betrayed our secrets had he continued to display such alluring virility. He finally reached me, leaving mere inches between us, as my eyes drifted upwards towards his complimentary gaze, his eyes assessing every inch of me before locking with my own.

"Words cannot begin to describe how stunning you look this evening," he said softly, his eyes ablaze with ardor. I felt the crimson burn rising to my cheeks and quickly fought for a way to distract myself from my own embarrassment. His costume, if one could call it that, seemed a good starting point.

"What exactly are you supposed to be?" I asked, coloring my voice with mock confusion. He chuckled at me, smiling wickedly in my direction to reveal a set of plastic fangs which he had adorned over his perfect teeth.

"Vampire," he said grinning, as though it should have been overtly evident simply from his apparel. I glared at him with fake derision.

"Where is your cape, and your coffin, and your Dracula makeup?" I asked him, my lips pulling up slightly at the edges.

"Listen," he began, rolling his eyes histrionically, "I think that if vampires did actually exist in modern society, they would have to do a fairly good job at blending in, wouldn't you think," He said with a smirk, motioning his hands downward over his plain cloths. I couldn't help but chuckle at his ridiculous assertion.

"You never blend in," I said softly, as his chuckling smile dazzled me with its extraordinary magnificence. Alas, there was never a room that Edward would enter where he would go unnoticed. He feigned a look of surprise at my accusation, and I found myself laughing in spite of myself.

"Mr. Cullen, you are absolutely absurd," I said with a light sigh, wishing that I could take another step closer to him, and knowing that I couldn't as the room was beginning to fill with guests, with prying eyes who would be observing our every move.

"Hey, I'll take no lip from my evening meal," He said, flashing his plastic fangs at me. I chuckled at him before sighing. Based upon how crowded the room was quickly becoming, it was time for me to take my leave of him for the time being. I gazed up at him longingly.

"Enjoy the party," I whispered, stepping back from him.

"I'm more looking forward to it ending," he responded with a warm smile. Before I could become anymore ensnared in his gaze, I turned and walked towards the counter where the liquor was resting upon the shelf. Alice had carefully filled the shot glasses with a clear liquid, having them lined up at least ten deep along the counter. I had meant to ask her if there was anything that I could help her with, when a loud bang from the foyer startled me, as the front door struck the wall.

Through the haze and fog that had filled the room, Jessica prowled through the door like a feline on the hunt, tossing her hair from one shoulder to the other in as seductive manner as she could muster. I had to admit, it was far more effective than I could have believed Jessica capable of. She was dressed in a lace outfit, with a feather duster in her hand, clearly intending to be a maid, but in all actuality her costume was simply exposed cleavage and a skirt so skimpy that you could practically see where her legs attached to the rest of her body. Stumbling in behind her, wearing an outfit that was clearly meant to be a pirate, but in execution looked more like a mismatched janitor, was Mike Newton. Jessica threw her arms around Mike, pulling herself against him, as he stared at her bewildered, before his gaze drifted down to the exposed skin of her cleavage. A feeling of exasperation and dread seemed to consume me as I watched the debacle that was Mike and Jessica enter the room. I turned myself back towards Alice who stood arranging the shot glasses to symmetrical perfection along the counter.

"Are those rum or vodka?" I asked her, certain that my frustrated apprehension was clearly written on my face. Alice raised an eyebrow at my sudden inquiry.

"I'm sorry?" she asked, as I grabbed two of the shot glasses without waiting for permission, and tossed my head backwards, pouring the contents of both glasses into my mouth and swallowing them. A tremor rippled through my body as the strength of the liquor poured through me, causing my lips to pucker.

"Gah," I gasped, placing the shot glasses down, and wiping the remnants from my lips. "Vodka!" I declared. Alice glared at me with stunned consternation. I reached for another shot glass, but Alice's hand shot out at me like lightning, slapping my wrist away from the glass.

"Bella, no," she barked with authority. She glared at Jessica and Mike who had walked into the main party area, rolling her eyes at them. "Go sit on the couch Bella," she ordered. "Those were both one hundred proof, you're going to feel that in a minute and I want you to be somewhere where you can't cause any damage," she said, shooing me away. "And no more for you tonight or you'll ruin Edward's evening," she whispered. That was a factor that I had entirely forgotten, and I was instantly thankful that Alice had intervened before I had done any lasting damage to my state of mind. I made my way over to the couch and took a seat, feeling the increased pull of gravity as the alcohol began to work its magic. It seemed that I had consumed just the exact amount I needed. I still had a feeling of self-control and self-awareness, but the sharp edge of my anxiety was entirely nonexistent.

"Bella!" Jessica's voice rang out, and I looked up, smiling at her. "Oh my god! You look gorgeous!" she said with a tone of incredulity. I was taken aback slightly by it, wondering if I should be offended, but I decided that I had far greater concerns that evening and contented to allow the underhanded jab to slide past me. I suddenly realized that Jessica's companion was no longer with her.

"Jess, where did Mike go?" I asked, glancing around the room, searching for his whereabouts. She threw her hands upwards and flapped them towards the side, as if blowing something off.

"Oh who cares," she replied nonchalantly. "He's only here to make Edward jealous anyways," she replied rolling her eyes at me. I stared at her, my mouth agape.

"Jess – That's a terrible thing to do to somebody," I said, chastisement clear in my voice. I was stuck suddenly by a powerful blow of realization that caused my chest to tighten as though the wind had been knocked out of me. The exact terrible thing that Jessica was currently doing to Mike, was no different than what Edward and I were doing to her. We were using her, playing games with her for our own gain, and I could do nothing to stifle the crushing weight of my own hypocrisy. The guilt was beginning to bubble up inside of me, threatening to consume me, but I fought it back. I could not reveal my own atrocity to Jessica, for it would also in the process cause catastrophic damage to Edward's future, and potentially end our relationship. I could however change the path that we were choosing to take. I had to tell him that he could not lead her on, that he could not use her to distract attention from us. It was unfair, and I could not do to Jessica any longer what she was doing to poor Mike. I would not use her.

"Yes, but he did a terrible thing to me as well. He lied to me," she accused, misunderstanding my chastisement as being directed at her trying to make Edward jealous. In her mind, I could tell that she saw nothing wrong with her emotional abuse of Mike. I sighed, wishing that I could change her for the better, and knowing that I was powerless to do so.

"Speak of the devil," she whispered, spying Edward across the room. Before I could speak another word to her, she had disappeared from in front of me, and put on her most coquettish smile, throwing herself before him in a manner that could not be avoided. The all-consuming guilt that was devouring me began to subside under the power of my own envy. No, Jessica did not deserve to be used, I resolved, but she certainly wasn't a nice person either.

I stayed on the couch attempting to focus on the throbbing base of the music that seemed to emanate from the very walls of the room, simply to prevent myself from watching Jessica interact with Edward. I had not had a chance to warn him yet. I had not had a chance to tell him to abort from the plan. But the part of me that burned with jealousy didn't seem to be bothered deeply by that fact. I was pulled from my internal turmoil by the feeling of the couch giving way beneath the weight of another body. I glanced up from my feet, to see a somber looking Mike sitting on the couch beside me, glaring at Jessica and Edward, his eyes filled with the same look that must have been written across my face: Resentment. I exhaled deeply. This entire mess had been instigated by my actions. I realized that the least I could do was try to minimize the casualties.

"Mike," I said softly, "Are you alright?" I asked. He looked over at me, clearly startled, as though he had been entirely unaware of my presence, and shook his head slightly as if to dispel an unpleasant thought.

"Yeah, of course. I'm fine," he said, his voice layered with artificial bravado. His eyes ran up and down my figure.

"Damn, Bella. You look hot," he said, his eyes lingering on the curves of my chest. I rolled my eyes at him in aggravation and let out a small pout.

"I'm not going to talk to you if you're going to be obnoxious." I said rancorously. He sighed loudly.

"Alright, Alright. I'm sorry. It's mostly for show anyways," He said, hanging his head in defeat. I softened my expression somewhat.

"I know," I responded with a sigh.

"You do?" he asked, sounding almost concerned that his manhood had been compromised.

"Of course I do Mike," I said with mild exasperation. "It's nearly as obvious as what's upsetting you now," I said, darting my eyes across the room to where Jessica stood with her hands clutching Edwards's shoulders, massaging them gently with her fingers. I felt the fiery rage shoot upwards inside of me and tried my best to suppress it. I glanced back at Mike, who was now watching them intently as well.

"I just don't understand why she likes him so much," he said with a sigh. That point was unfortunately one that I would be unable to make easier for him. To me it was abundantly obvious why Jessica was so greatly interested in Edward. He was both unbelievably attractive, and apparently incredibly wealthy, which seemed to be the only two things that, in my observations, Jessica had responded too. I followed Mike's gaze back to Jessica and Edward. It was a mistake. I instantly felt the fire increase tenfold in power, as I watched Jessica begin to close the space between her and Edward, despite his bewildered expression, for she was too close to him to see it. I watched, as she slid her hand upward beneath his untucked button up shirt, sliding her hands over the bare skin of his stomach beneath his shirt, an action that even I had never had the pleasure of partaking in. I was on fire, watching helplessly, furiously, as she corrupted every inch of him that I myself wished to absorb. I wished to throw myself across the room, to pull her away from him, to tell her never to look at him again. Edward's hands moved down his body as though trying to subtly move her away, but she would not release him. I turned back towards Mike, panting, trying to calm the unstoppable rage that flooded through me at that moment. It occurred to me in that moment, a spiteful way to assuage Mike's fears, and in the heat of my fury, I sputtered the words out at him.

"I wouldn't worry about Edward," I began hastily, "I don't really think he's all that interested in her," I said cocking an eyebrow. Mike looked at me with puzzlement.

"What makes you think that?" he asked clearly confused.

"Because it wasn't her in the picture." I stated matter-of-factly. Mikes brow furled slightly in the middle.

"How can you be sure?" he asked. I turned to look back over my shoulder at Jessica and Edward. Jessica was waving at Edward coyly, and he was smiling back at her, though his eyes maintained his subtle look of bewilderment. She began to stroll away from him. I saw my opportunity in that moment, and every fiber of my being wanted to cross the room to him. I needed to speak with him desperately and caution was quickly being thrown to the wind. I did not know how long my opportunity to speak with him would last, and so I resolved to finish my conversation with Mike quickly.

"Look at her hair color," I said briskly, knowing that even Mike would be able to recognize Jessica's light brown curls as being distinctly different from my own dark brunette waves. I turned back to face Mike, preparing to seize my opportunity.

"If you'd excuse me," I told him hurriedly. He did not respond to me, but rather watched me with scrutiny, his eyes running over the length of my flowing dark hair. I felt my eyes widen a tad, hoping that I hadn't accidentally disclosed too much information in my recklessness to poor, unobservant Mike. But I couldn't allow myself time to pause and think of what I had done, as my window of opportunity was closing quickly. I stood slightly unsteadily on my feet and crossed the length of the room, bringing myself before Edward. I did not look up at him as I spoke in a hushed tone.

"I need to talk to you," I said.

"Now?" he whispered back to me, his tone filled with consternation.

"Yes," I said, gazing up at him imploringly. His expression was tender and soft. He nodded towards the door in the corner of the room across from the door to Alice's bedroom. I strode quickly across the space of the living room, weaving between the bodies of the dancing partygoers, keeping my head down so as to avoid their penetrating glances, and slid quietly through the door that Edward had indicated. I glanced over my shoulder to see Edward following closely behind me. Across the room, Mike's eyes were still scrutinizing me. I felt a pang of fear strike me in the stomach as his puzzled gaze bored into me forcefully. The door shut behind me as Edward entered the room, leaving us in absolute darkness until the incandescent lights above the mirror flickered to life. We were in a beautifully decorated bathroom, adorned with a granite counter, and a beautifully warm color scheme. I would have appreciated how much charm the space had if I had I not been so consumed by envious rage. I paced back and forth across the room, allowing my apprehensions and elevated emotions to wash over me for a few moments. Edward leaned against the bathroom wall, watching me with obvious concern.

"Bella…" he began softly, "Are you alright?" he asked. I continued to stare downwards at my ever pacing feet, watching the wooden laminate of the floor vanish beneath them.

"What did you tell her?" I asked him, not answering his inquiry.

"I simply told her that tabloids lie," he said with a velvet sigh. "It was not a dishonest statement," he concluded. I paused my pacing but continued to stare downwards at my feet.

"Edward, we can't do this to her anymore," I whispered. He did not respond to me, and I knew he was waiting for me to elaborate. "We can't use her like this, to cover up our own transgressions. You can't lead her on in this way. It isn't fair to her to be toyed with in such a fashion." I said, continuing to stare at the ground. He sighed again.

"Bella, I never have said anything to her to lead her on. I simply am not rejecting her advances, but not furthering them either. I am allowing her to draw her own conclusions," he replied, his voice weighted heavily with confusion. "I'm simply doing what you asked of me," he said. I felt his finger slide up the length of my jawbone, leaving a simmering trail of heat behind his touch, and upon reaching my chin, he gently lifted my head upward to face the ravaging power of his gaze.

"Bella, tell me what's wrong," he asked, his face soft and solicitous. I stared at him, but found myself entirely unable to admit my shameful dilemma.

"Please Bella. You can tell me," he implored affectionately. My willpower melted beneath the tenderness of his soul.

"I can't…" I murmured. "…I can't watch her touch you the way that she does, the way that I wish that I was able to so openly. I can't watch someone else have that. It feels horrible, and I'm aware that it's a selfish desire," I whispered through my ragged breath, "but I can't share you anymore." I glanced away from him, feeling dejected, and ashamed. He sighed deeply, placing his arms on my shoulders and pulling my body against his, nuzzling my face into his firm chest. I could hear his breath entering and exiting his body as his chest rose and fell beneath me, and I felt a measure of my anxiety melt away beneath the beautiful rhythm of his pounding heart.

"I don't want to share," he whispered, resting his chin on the top of my head. "I want you to have whatever you'd like," he said, stroking his hand gently down my hair. I pulled my head out from under his chin to look up at his shimmering golden eyes, feeling the incredible energy again begin to fill the air, as the choir of song embraced me. He leaned down slowly towards me, and I found myself pushing my body further upwards, closing the gap between us as his lips met gently with mine. A burning sensation filled me, quite different from the flames of rage. It was more akin to the warmth of the sun, emanating from his lips and flowing throughout my body, becoming increasingly warmer as we moved in unison.

Seemingly without my permission, my hand found its way to the bottom of his shirt, my fingers lightly tracing the edge of the fabric, before furtively sliding upward beneath the concealing cloth. My heart jumped almost audibly in my chest as my fingers began to slide upward over the warm contours of his perfectly smooth skin. His arms pulled me tighter against him, as his lips began to move more amorously against mine. He suddenly rotated us so that he was pushing my back powerfully against the wall, and I could feel its cool, textured surface beneath my skin as I arched myself away from it, allowing the waves of sensual gratification to roll through my body. I found myself suddenly yearning for his masculine vigor, wanting him to display every ounce of strength that I knew him to possess, craving for him to unleash it upon my willing body. He grasped the hand that was not climbing the inside of his shirt off of his waist and pinned it against the wall over my head forcefully, using his other hand to gently turn my head sideways towards the doorway. I felt my breathing hitch as he exhaled his warm breath over the length of my jaw, continuing downward over the exposed skin of my neck, before gently brushing his lips along my skin in the opposite direction. I was entirely titillated by him, and completely unaware of anything in the world except for the impressive might of Edward's body.

the foreboding metallic sound reached my ears far too late, as my eyes snapped open abruptly and I suddenly gasped in a lungful of air, which froze within my chest, as my head snapped about to face the doorway. I watched it swing open hastily, a reverberating bang filling the small room when it struck the wall, and my eyes widened in irrepressible horror at the sight before me. I felt Edward's sudden tension as his lips snapped away from my neck, and the wrist which he had so powerfully pinned to the wall above me fell to my side limply with the sudden absence of his hand. I could no longer hear his breathing, or even my own heartbeat, which was pounding away relentlessly within my chest. Standing before me, with her own mouth frozen agape at the sudden revelation of our embrace, was Jessica, who seemed as though she were on the verge of collapse, as she suddenly gripped the doorway for support. Glancing over her shoulder, with a triumphant grin plastered across his smug expression, was Mike, though I couldn't comprehend why, though I did not truly care, for it no longer mattered. Their reactions were no longer important. They were irrelevant now, as were my own feelings about the horror which stood before me. The only thing that I knew with certainty, the only thing which from that moment forward carried any weight, was that Edward would be ruined by them, and the only thought that swam through my mind, or at the very least, that I could afford to allow myself to contemplate in that moment, was what I must do to save him from the unrelenting claws of fate. I knew that regardless of the consequences, I had to bear the weight of the blame, to fully accept responsibility for all that appeared before them in this moment, for it was the only way to prevent his destruction. I would willingly tie myself to the stake in his stead, so that he could carry on towards the brilliant future that I knew lied before him. I loved him unequivocally, and thus in order to extricate him, I would willingly step forth into the pyre of flames, entirely content to burn.


	16. Chapter 16

I continued to stare at Jessica supporting herself in the doorframe, every inch of my body entirely rigid with terrified apprehension, awaiting the brewing storm that I knew was about to unleash its torrent from the heavens, sending destructive claps of thunder rolling about the peaceful existence of my life. As I stared at her appalled expression, I became aware that no matter how much I desired to, I could not escape the overwhelming emotion pouring from Jessica's eyes: the incredulity, the despondency, the indignation, the acrimony, the duplicity. At long last I managed to tear my gaze away from her, as her stability seemed to be deteriorating rapidly, to glance upward at Edward, preparing myself for his reaction, anticipating his horrified rejection of me. Exactly as I had feared, Edward's eyes were entirely replete with dread as he glanced downwards, his mind clearly determining what he could conceivably say to detach himself from the present situation, seemingly contemplating a great number of possibilities, as his eyes darted absently across the wooden flooring of the bathroom. I felt my chest tighten beneath the impending doom of the storm clouds which hovered so precariously above me.

"It was you?" Jessica asked, accusation ringing in her tone, as her voice ran me through like the clean, sharpened edge of a sword.

"You were the girl in the photo?" she inquired, though I could tell by the inflection of her unsteadily quivering voice that her query was entirely rhetorical. I inhaled a sharp gust of air, preparing myself for what I knew that I must do, to accept the blame for all that had occurred, through fabrication if necessary. I would claim that in my state of inebriation, I had forced myself upon Edward, seduced him without his consent, both tonight, and at the Kappa mansion, as he was simply a good samaritan, attempting to assist his exceptional sister. I knew the story was plausible enough to at least create pause in those who would accuse him, and it could even be enough to exonerate him entirely and cast the totality of the consequences upon myself. I exhaled deeply, attempting to project my guilt to Jessica, and by extension, the world, though the tightening grip of my own terror was attempting to choke me from within, as my rigid muscles stoppered the words entirely within the confines of my throat. It was in that moment that I noticed in my periphery Edward's dazzling eyes boring into me, and as I glanced at him ever so subtly, his expression seemed to be a battleground of irresolution, before his features abruptly hardened, and his eyes froze over with a sudden, inexplicable measure of composure.

"Yes," Edward muttered in a nearly inaudible whisper, answering Jessica's question in my stead, meeting her furious gaze with the depths of his golden eyes, some unfathomable sentiment swimming ambiguously in their depths. I found myself entirely perplexed by his sudden shift, and the weight of my own apprehensions felt like a stack of bricks upon my shoulders as his inevitable rejection of me approached. I inhaled sharply, awaiting the blow that was about to escape from his mouth, about to entirely shatter my world to bits.

"But – How?" Jessica practically spat at him, her eyes intense, and altogether venomous.

"She's just so – she's so…" In her vexation, Jessica seemed entirely incapable of producing an insult denigrating enough to sufficiently defame me in her moment of anguish. She blinked indignantly at him through watery eyes before she managed to collect herself enough to speak.

"She's not even pretty," she practically squawked at him. "Why in the hell would you pick her as your flavor of the month over me? ME?" she screeched at him, her voice ballooning outward with ever increasing volume, causing more of the partygoers heads to turn in our direction, their ponderous stares all drifting in a rather non discrete manner to the corner where our confrontation was unfolding. Jessica's voice lashed out at me like a devastating flash of lightning, and I recoiled ever so slightly, stumbling backwards away from her vicious blows. Through the sea of bodies, I noticed Alice's eyes hone in upon us with horror, and with a great sense of urgency she disappeared into the hordes of onlookers who had now gathered about us, attempting to push her way through the crowd. Jasper stood in the kitchen, his eyes resting upon Edward with an expression that I was unable to comprehend, an expression that Edward met with a look of decisive determination. Edward nodded his head with subtlety in Jasper's direction, who returned the subtle nod with a look of unfiltered intensity. The moment Jasper nodded, Edward turned his gaze back towards Jessica, and took a step forwards towards her, placing his body between me and her venomous words, as though he could absorb them into himself and leave me unscathed. It was far too late for that. Her words stung like the lash of a whip across my chest.

"First of all," he said menacingly, "she isn't my _flavor of the month_ ," he said, pausing momentarily as he stared at Jessica, his gaze unrelentingly penetrating as his face hardened beneath the unknown source of his sudden resolve.

"She's my girlfriend," he said with intensity, and I felt my eyes widen in bewilderment. What on earth was Edward doing? Jessica's entire form became suddenly rigid as she let out a small horrified gasp, and Mike's eyes seemed as though they were about to erupt from his face like a volcano. A wave of hushed whispers and nearly inaudible murmurs began to propagate through the sizable crowd that had now surrounded us, sounding akin to a summer breeze rustling through the trees.

"And secondly, she is the most magnificently exquisite, altruistic, and all around extraordinary woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing in the entirety of my life, and I don't ever want to hear you speak of her in such a disrespectful, condescending, or besmirching manner ever again. If anything you should aspire to be far more similar to her," He said, glaring down at her incandescently. I couldn't help but gaze upwards at him in amazement. Jessica stared back at him lividly, holding strongly to her convictions, but I could tell that she was well aware that the atmosphere of the room had vividly changed after his impassioned speech. Many of the onlookers suddenly wore sympathetic expressions across their faces, and Alice smiled brilliantly at her brother, as did I, for I could not believe my own senses. He had defended me. Even knowing that it would guarantee that he would suffer grave consequences, he had not rejected me, but on the contrary, had publicly claimed me as his own. I felt Edward's arm wrap its way around my waist, pulling me forward until I was standing beside him, and he glanced downward at me with warmth. I couldn't help the subtle smile that spread its way across my features. Jessica glared at him, directing a beam of hatred towards him so intense that I wouldn't have been surprised if she could have set an ordinary man ablaze. Edward, of course, was in no way an ordinary man.

"Screw you Edward," she practically spat at him. He did not waver, standing boldly before her, powerful and determined.

"And as for you," she began, turning her fiery ray of detestation upon me, her voice trembling, "don't bother coming home." I couldn't help but flinch away from her hatred as it lashed out at me, running me through like the sharpened edge of a blade.

"Don't worry, she won't" Edward replied, glaring at her indignantly. After a brief moment more, Jessica tossed her hair back over her shoulders, and with a dramatic scowl, stormed away from us, grabbing her purse from the shelf in the foyer and slamming the front door noisily behind her. I allowed my gaze to drift after her for a few moments, watching the shattered remains of our friendship clamor to the floor behind her departure. I mourned the end of our civility with brevity, before turning my gaze upon an extremely confused Mike, his eyes glancing after Jessica with clear consternation.

"Mike," I said, my voice trembling with a sudden measure of tragedy, as the realization of his betrayal struck me fully.

"Why…" I whispered imploringly. He stared back at me, entirely dumbfounded.

"Well…" I prompted him. He glanced upward at Edward, cowering beneath his intimidating fury, as Edward's eyes bore into him with unrelenting intensity.

"I – I just thought that – well – if Jessica knew that Edward didn't really like her – she would pick me instead," he admitted sheepishly. I couldn't believe my ears as I was struck by a powerful wave of agonizing incredulity. He had intentionally decimated both mine and Edward's futures, simply in an attempt to gain audience with Jessica, a plan that had backfired expertly in his face. I was livid.

"Michael Newton, you oafish imbecile," I began whispering acrimoniously, my eyes boring directly into him as he glanced downwards at me with a petrified expression. Edward squeezed his hand against my waist tighter as if to re-center me, to give me the strength to stopper myself from saying anything that I would later regret. He was truly a better man than I deserved.

"I think you should leave Mike," Edward said softly, but with an edge of an ultimatum in his voice. Mike nodded sullenly, seeming to have accepted his fate as he trudged dejectedly towards the foyer, making as little spectacle of himself as he could, as though he wished to simply be invisible as he noiselessly strode from Edward's home. I did not even hear the door close behind him as he made his exit.

"Ok everyone! Show's over move along! The haunted house opens in the garage in five minutes so grab a snack and make your way outside!" Alice shouted with finality. "And please remember; do not punch the scare actors. If you do and they punch you back, it is entirely _your_ fault," she finished.

A large number of spectators from the crowd dispersed at Alice's instructions, but many stayed behind, raining compliments down upon Edward and myself, offering us their sincere congratulations, and many simply seemed in awe of how Edward had stood up for me in the face of Jessica. I too shared their admiration.

I had begun to feel entirely overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of attention that was being directed at me, when I noticed a rather tall, massively built man approaching Edward and I through the throngs of people. His eyes were a dazzling shade of sparkling blue, a rather stark contrast to the masculinity of his face, and width of his shoulders. With Edward being the only distinguished exception, he was easily the most handsome man in the room. He made his way forward through the mass of partygoers who were slowly beginning to disperse from around us, until he stood before Edward, extending his hand for a handshake, a gesture which Edward accepted with a genuine smile.

"Congratulations," the man I did not recognized said, his voice deep and husky.

"Thanks Aaron," Edward replied with a smile, and I glanced upwards towards him, questions brewing visibly within my eyes. Edward's gaze ever so briefly flashed downwards towards me, and he shook his head suddenly, as though he had remembered something of great importance.

"Forgive me. Where have my manners gone? Bella, this is Aaron Coin," Edward said, gesturing to the man who stood before me, towering over me nearly as completely as Edward did. He smiled downwards upon me with an amiable expression.

"Aaron, this is Bella," Edward said, gesturing back towards me. Aaron extended his hand outwards towards me as he had to Edward, and I accepted his grip, which was firm, and powerful.

"It's a pleasure," he said huskily, before his gaze glanced back upwards towards Edward inquisitively.

"So when Emmett mentioned that Bella was Alice's new favorite Kappa - he actually meant that she was _your_ new favorite?" He asked with a deep, rumbling chuckle. Edward rolled his eyes, though the gesture was clearly one of lighthearted conviviality.

"Emmett never has been known for his discretion I suppose," Edward said with a chuckling sigh. I glanced upwards at him, my perplexity clear upon my features.

"Aaron plays football for my older brother Emmett. Emmett is one of the assistant coaches of the Lakefront University football team, as one of the Athletic department Directors. Aaron here is his star quarterback," Edward said, having interpreted my confusion with uncanny precision. I stared back towards Aaron, allowing my eyes to sweep over him once more, as comprehension penetrated my being. His broad physique suddenly made a great deal of sense to me, as he appeared to be perfectly designed for such a physically taxing sport.

"Impressive," I said with a timid smile, glancing upwards towards Aaron.

"Anyhow, I wish you both nothing but happiness," He said with a smile of undeniable sincerity, his eyes moving between Edward and myself.

"Thank you," I replied warmly.

"Likewise, I hope the same for you," Edward said, smiling with an expression of appreciation upon his friend. Aaron threw an arm about Edward's shoulder, a gesture that Edward reciprocated as the two men embraced, before Aaron waved, turning away from us to stride outwards into the crowd.

"It was a pleasure to meet you," I shouted after him, hoping that he did not think me impolite for not having said so when he was still standing before me. He waved his hand in acknowledgement, before disappearing from sight. I inhaled deeply, basking in the unexpected glow of the events that had transpired. Somehow, even in the face of our imminent destruction, I managed to feel a small measure of true hope.

My feeling of hope was unfortunately a fleeting one, for after a few moments I could see Alice working her way towards the two of us, vexation painted clearly across her features. Edward seemed apprehensive at her approach, I assumed because she was likely going to blame the entire incident on him, even though it was all clearly my fault.

"Really?" she asked, gazing upwards at Edward with dubiety, "You couldn't even bother to lock the bathroom door?" she asked, raising her eyebrow. He stared downwards at her with a measure of culpability.

"I was rather…" He began, his gaze shifting suddenly towards me as a wicked grin spread across his features, "… preoccupied."

"Of course you were _moron_ ," she said, her voice bending around the last word, causing it to become a term of endearment in addition to an insult. He grinned at her, and I could have sworn that his cheeks began to stain with ever so slight a trace of crimson.

"Well, no matter what happens from here on out, or what the consequences are, I'll be there to support the both of you unconditionally," she said with a warm smile, placing one arm around each of us, pulling us firmly into her embrace. I smiled at the thought of Alice's kindness and unwavering loyalty, certain that as long as Edward and I had each other, we could certainly face whatever certain doom awaited us on Tuesday morning, although I had to admit, Alice's support did contribute somewhat to my feelings of security. After all, things typically did tend to proceed however Alice wished them to. Alice released us from her embrace and had begun to turn in order to stride away, but her hand suddenly shot into the air, her finger extended upwards, as though she had remembered something important.

"Oh, by the way Edward," she began, an eyebrow cocked in his direction, "You're telling Carlisle. Don't even try to drag me into that one. And you may want to consider having other..." she paused, seeming to contemplate how best to vocalize what she wished to convey, her eyes darting subtly in my direction, though she did so with such brevity that I was unsure if I had truly seen her do so, "... necessary - conversations as well," She said sternly, before she turned lithely upon her feet, and strode away from us.

Jasper walked by us a moment later, following her trajectory, nodding at Edward as he passed, a smile of congratulations gracing his lips, before his face suddenly turned dour.

"If it's as serious as it seems to be, I wouldn't hesitate much longer," Jasper said, his voice full of consequence as he glanced downward at me. Edward glared at his future brother in law, who was already walking past us. I turned to look at Edward with concern.

"What does she mean? Will you be in trouble? Will Carlisle be upset?" I asked, suddenly worried about having caused trouble amongst his family, not vocalizing the questions which swam in my mind about the cryptic statements that had just been uttered from Alice and Jasper's lips, statements that in some way seemed to be connected to me, though I in no way understood how. I shook my head, pushing the thought quickly from my mind.

"No, no," he assured me. "He will simply be – disappointed," a fact that clearly caused Edward a certain measure of internal strife as dismay spread across his face. I pulled myself in closer to him, and his arms wrapped around me, pulling me firmly to his chest, as I felt the remorse well within my core.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, "For everything."

"Don't you dare apologize, as you have nothing to apologize for," he said, his gaze heavy, and serious.

"I told Mike far too much," I said softly, weighted by my own culpability, as I stared downward. I suddenly felt the warmth of his finger beneath my chin, as he guided my gaze upwards towards his.

"It's alright Bella. You simply weren't thinking clearly. After all - you _were_ moderately inebriated," he said, smiling downward at me, rolling his eyes playfully as his expression suddenly perked upward.

"Now wipe that glum look off of your face. We have a haunted house to walk through," he said with a brilliant grin. I hesitated momentarily, as my stomach began to churn unsteadily.

"Um – yes. About that…" I began, my eyes darting about with hesitancy.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of a haunted house?" He said looking at me with mock derision, raising the flawless arches of his eyebrows high above his expression.

"No!" I yelped, "It's just that – Um," I stammered.

"Come on you big baby. I'll protect you," he said smoothly, wrapping a powerful arm over my shoulder.

"Besides, you know Alice would be devastated if you didn't witness her handiwork," he added, raising an eyebrow. I didn't doubt for one moment that he wouldn't protect me if I had actually needed it. It just seemed to me that, in the case of a haunted house, the necessity for protection could be entirely avoided simply by not subjecting myself to the experience in the first place. Still, I knew that Edward was correct. Alice would be rather upset with me if I did not participate in what I was sure was likely an exceptional performance that she had put on. I inhaled deeply, pushing the anxiety from my body, and leaning into Edward's chest, utilizing some of his strength.

"Alright," I sighed. "Fine, I'll go," I conceded. "But don't you dare let go of me even for an instant! Promise!" I demanded, attempting to make my face stern. He smiled at me magnificently, before leaning forward and placing his lips ever so gently upon my forehead.

"I promise," he whispered, as he led me through the sliding glass door and out into the chill of the night.

The back lawn must have been beautiful in the daylight hours, or even under normal circumstances I assumed. But on this haunting night, it was nothing of the sort. To the left, a beautiful roaring fire burned brightly, as jovial, smiling people sat about it, dangling s'mores, hot dogs and other assorted foods into the flames with long silver rods. To the right, a clearly temporary wooden fence had been erected directly through the middle of the yard, smeared with fake blood, which spelled out the words: _Are we out of the woods yet?_

Artificial vines were draped over the edges of the fence, blackened with soot, and red light rose ominously from the other side of the fence, along with periodic puffs of fog and smoke. I couldn't help but be stunned by the impressive level of detail that was present just in the outer fencing of the maze. Some twenty feet on the other side of the fence, I could just barely discern the outline of what must have been Edward and Alice's garage, which looked to be able to hold at least two to three vehicles. From inside the building I was able to hear muffled screaming, as the twisted productions of Alice's mind terrorized her guests.

"Alice did all of this herself?" I asked in awe, glaring at the small opening in the fence that was now visible against the side of the house. We still had at least fifteen people in front of us waiting to gain entrance to the haunt, with Jasper standing out front, acting as a doorman, telling groups of people when it was alright for them to enter. Ominous music was pouring from the hole in the fence, accompanied by even more horrifying sounds, blended with the screams of party guests. I felt goosebumps begin to crawl up my arms and neck.

"Well, she did most of it, although Jasper and I did assist with some of the heavy lifting and initial construction," Edward admitted looking down at me pensively.

"So – you know what's inside then?" I asked timidly, hopeful. He chuckled under his breath.

"Oh heavens no. I haven't been allowed inside for weeks," he said with a grin of amusement.

"The last time I was allowed inside was to erect some of the temporary walls. After that Alice went to work. There's no telling what lies in that garage now," He said, clearly awed by the craftsmanship of his sister, despite his best attempt to conceal it. Another group moved forward through the gap in the fence, and I took another step closer towards the mixture of horror and awe that awaited me. Another scream echoed through the night.

"Alice has been working on this for weeks?" I asked in disbelief. Edward simply nodded, rubbing his hand gently up and down the length of my arm.

"How much did she spend on all of this?" I whispered more to myself than to Edward. He shook his head slowly back and forth as we stood next to the opening in the fence, next to enter.

"You really don't want to know," he said with firm conviction. We had stopped before Jasper now, who nodded gently at his future brother in law.

"Let me know how it is this year," he said in his ever so slightly southern dialect.

"I'm sure it will deliver as always," Edward said with a smirk in Jasper's direction, who gestured for us to enter the maze. Edward began to pull me forward around the corner towards the hole in the fence.

"Edward," Jasper suddenly called. Edward spun to face him.

"Remember, secrets do not like to lie in the dark." He glanced downward at me as he spoke, his voice no longer playful, but more foreboding. Edward glared back at Jasper, his expression unreadable. "It has to be soon," Jasper said. Edward simply nodded stiffly. I hadn't the slightest clue of what the exchange between the two men had meant, but I again felt fairly certain that it had something to do with me. Jasper waved after us, turning his gaze upon me once again.

"Don't get too scared Bella, it will only make the maze worse," Jasper warned, before Edward pulled me forward to face the narrow opening in the fence. Before me there lied nothing but tangled branches, ominous red light, smoke, and darkness. I felt that this was likely what the entrance of hell must look like, as I heard a ghastly scream echo from within the confines of the maze outwards into the chill of the night. Luckily for me, if I was being forced into hell, I at least the benefit of having a guardian angel by my side.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: This chapter features strongly rated T material that may not be suitable for those under the age of the 14.**

* * *

With a deep intake of breath, and a squeeze of Edward's hand, we stepped forward into the darkness of the maze as the opening in the fence creaked shut behind us. Ominous music seemed to surround us in the stillness, along with the sound of the whipping wind, which I knew to be artificial on this cold, still night. The stars were no longer visible overhead, shrouded entirely by fog, which was illuminated in ominous hues of red and orange by some unknown source of light. In the background, I could make out a vague whisper within the wind, which kept repeating itself over and over again: _Stay out of the woods._

We rounded the corner to see an abandoned looking doorway, which had the words _Are we out of the woods yet?_ scrawled across it in blood. I felt my stomach tensing as my eyes darted about the darkness before us, waiting for something to jump forward and startle me. Edward wrapped his arms around me from behind, pulling my body against him, as I felt his posture become more rigid. Even he seemed to be fearful of the products of Alice's imagination. The whispering seemed to emanate from the blackened opening, and overgrown vines had crawled their way around the edges of the open doorway, as though the forest were consuming the building. A light flashed momentarily in the darkness, and the sound of rumbling thunder echoed out from the blackness. I felt a shiver run down my spine and I turned to look up at Edward, gauging his reaction.

"I've got you," he said, giving me an encouraging look, pulling my back more firmly against his chest, and together we took a step into the veil of darkness. The inside of the small room was meant to look like an abandoned tool shed I gathered, although vines had over grown every inch of the walls and counters, obscuring many of the tools from view. The edges of the tiny room were barely visible in the dim blue stage lighting which Alice had erected. A loud scraping sound startled me, causing me to jump backwards into Edward, whose arms clenched shut about me. A figure had appeared in the room with us, an old woman with blood running down the entire front of her nightgown. A blood-soaked vine protruded from her stomach in a rather grotesque looking wound. Makeup, I had to remind myself, lest I begin to panic.

"Stay out of the woods," she croaked out menacingly, extending her arm outwards towards me as she stumbled backwards into the darkness once more. Another roll of thunder shook its way through the building. I saw a doorway on the left hand side of the room and hesitantly proceeded through it, careful not to touch any of the leaves lining the threshold of it. The room we entered was simply spectacular, for it no longer appeared to even be a room at all, or the inside of a garage, but a living breathing forest. The, leaves, and branches towered more than ten feet overhead, and a small waterfall cascaded down a rock façade along the back wall of the room, which was dimly illuminated in the eerie blue light. Flashes of light clapped over the ceiling, followed by the rolling boom of simulated thunder, and a powerful wind pulled at our clothing, as though a murderous storm were approaching the forest. Edward seemed as entirely awed as I was, though I desired to move quickly down the path, watching the plants reach out and attempt to grab at our feet as we passed by. I was also completely startled by a creature hiding behind a tree with an axe, and jumped backwards into Edward's embrace when he leapt for me.

Eventually, after meandering through the demonic forest, we came upon another doorway leading to a small structure reminiscent of an outhouse. Only by the flash of the simulated lightning could I read the words inscribed along the outside of the doorway, which glowed a ghostly shade of blue in the flashing light. The words were as menacing as they come: _This is where you die._

Upon entering the dimly lit room, it appeared vacant, but a light rose, revealing Alice, who sat across the room at a séance table, a crystal ball swirling before her. Only, she didn't quite look like the Alice I was familiar with. Her eyes were black, and leaves and vines clung to her face, and indeed her entire body. Another thunderclap rolled through the room as she began waving her arms over the crystal ball.

"The – end," she whispered ominously, as a jet of smoke shot through the floor, and both Alice and the entire table began to slowly levitate off of the ground. White and red lights began strobing throughout the small space, as monstrous manifestations of the forest attacked us from all sides, coming out of the walls in the claustrophobic darkness. I couldn't help but let out a scream of sheer terror as Edward gripped me, spinning his body wildly in an attempt to figure out a direction to shield me. There was none. Alice had left us no escape. With a loud clap of thunder the lights suddenly vanished and we were left alone in the darkness, until finally, a few seconds later, a door opened on our left hand side, flooding the room with light. The table where Alice had sat moments before was now empty. I stepped through the doorway out of the darkness, emerging into the warm comforting light of the campfire. My eyes were wide with horror, and undeniable amazement. I turned around to see Edward grinning from ear to ear.

"Wow," he whispered.

"That had to be the best one yet," he said shaking his head to and fro in wonderment. Suddenly his eyes met my frozen gaze.

"What did you think Bella?" he asked, suddenly wary of my response. I paused for a moment, allowing my brain to process what it had just been through.

"That was terrifying…" I whispered. Edward closed the space between us with a single stride, pulling me towards him in an effort to comfort me, but I held my hand up in front of me, gesturing for him to stop.

"…terrifying – but awesome. Can we do it again later?" I asked glancing up at him. Bewilderment flooded his expression as he gazed at me in amazement, before a smile overtook him.

"I'm sure Alice would be more than willing to arrange that," he said with a smirk. The wind suddenly brushed its icy hand across the yard, piercing my cardigan as I wrapped it more tightly around my body. The flames flickered whimsically nearby tempting me with their warmth, and as I shivered, Edward moved his hand downward about my waist, guiding me towards the flames. He collected a wool blanket from the table against the wood paneling of the house and sat down on one of the padded benches that surrounded the fireplace, leaving the spot next to him open for me to join him. I lowered myself down onto the cushion next to him, feeling the radiant warmth of the fire flood over my face, which had been numbed by the biting wind. He gently laid the blanket out over top of me, positioning his body out across the bench in such a way that I could fit snuggly up against him. I felt his heat warm against my back, and when combined with the heat of the fire, I felt incredibly comfortable. I leaned my head against the firmness of his chest, placing my ear against the fabric of his shirt, until I could hear nothing but the crackling of the fire playing second string to the symphony of his heartbeat. I doubted there was a silence that I wouldn't want to fill with the memory of that sound. I sighed, contently. Edward however, unable to see my face, must have misinterpreted my sigh as one of anxiety, and began to sweep the edge of my hair away from my face, running his free hand down the length of my arm in a soothing gesture.

"Was Alice's adventure too much for you?" He asked in his smooth voice, pulling me ever so slightly tighter to him.

"No," I replied softly, watching the flames lick ever upwards into the sky.

"On the contrary – I'd actually rather like to know where she came up with the idea for all of that," I replied, intrigue lining my voice. Edward chuckled slightly beneath me, a warm humming sound filling his chest.

"Actually, if my memory serves me correctly, you have yourself to thank for that," he said. I could hear the smile in his inflection, though his statement left me rather puzzled.

"How did she get inspiration for a terrifying murder forest from me?" I asked bemused. He chuckled once again, I assumed at the phrase murder forest. I could honestly think of no other way to describe what I had just experienced, but still found the term amusingly ludicrous.

"I told her about the night that I saw you go out into the woods, how it had rained on you, and how when you returned, it looked as though you had been attacked by a bear," he said. I glanced upwards towards his face, watching the orange light of the fire flicker and dance across its perfect lines.

"Take that story, twist it with Alice's imagination, and research on dozens of urban legends and what do you end up with? A murder forest naturally," He said, nodding facetiously and raising an eyebrow pointedly, as though it were the most logical conclusion in the world. I smiled at him, chuckling aloud.

"She honestly is a miracle worker," I said, sighing upwards at him. The corner of his mouth pulled upward in a smirk.

"Yes – a very annoying one. But there is no denying her brilliance," he admitted, albeit slightly reluctantly.

"Then again that has always been Alice. Insane – but truly extraordinary," he said softly. I watched him as he spoke, studying how his eyebrows moved as he talked, the way the firelight cast shadows across his face, the way his golden eyes seemed to burn like hot embers in the orange flickering light. After a few moments of study, he looked down from the fire to meet my inquisitive gaze as my questions swam beneath the surface. Why was he suddenly so accepting of his own fate, to have me, the girl who had destroyed his reputation and his future, lying here so casually in his embrace? What mysterious conversation had Jasper and Alice urged him twice now to have with haste? Something involving me, of that much I was certain, but what was it that actually needed to be discussed? Was I even allowed to ask such a question? I exhaled, watching him gaze down upon me. I could see him analyzing me, his intuition certainly gauging the tumult in my head.

"What is it?" he asked me, his eyes smoldering down upon me, his lips drawn back into a soft line. I shook my head at him slightly, attempting to organize my coalescing thoughts. A question finally leapt from my tongue, before I had time to truly consider whether or not I actually wanted an answer.

"How are you so calm right now?" I asked, searching his eyes for any sign that his apparent tranquility was nothing but a front. He gazed downward at me, raising an eyebrow.

"In reference to what exactly?" He asked, seeming confused, although I had thought that my inquiry was rather obvious.

"Well – public humiliation…" I began, but he held his hand up to stop me.

"I was not publicly humiliated by you," he said, shooting a stern glance downward at me. I nodded my head, accepting his opinion for what it was worth on that front, and continued.

"Alright, for potentially being fired from your job, and expelled from school, and just in general having your future destroyed? All of that," I said, cringing internally as the iron grip of fear clenched its relentless hand about my windpipe. Edward stared down at me with perfect composure. He inhaled and exhaled calmly, his gaze drifting back towards the flickering light of the fire.

"I suppose I just realized that it was irrelevant," he said pensively, staring intensely into the flames. I cocked an eyebrow at him.

"You realized that what was irrelevant?" I asked him, befuddled by his vague response. He paused for a moment, as though he were contemplating his reply.

"All of it I suppose," he said after a few moments. I stared at him in bewilderment.

"But you could have easily just blamed all of it on me. You could have told them that I had seduced you, that I had come on to you against your will, and none of the consequences would have fallen on you," I insisted, almost frantically.

"Don't you see Edward; you threw away everything for no good reason," I said, my own sorrow burning in my voice. He chuckled at me, though I couldn't understand for the life of me why he found any of what I was saying humorous.

"You don't get it do you?" he whispered, his eyes dashing downward from the fire to pierce into the depths of my soul.

"None of it would have mattered anyways Bella, because everything is different now," He said, looking at me with some unfathomable expression, studying my countenance with intense scrutiny, almost as though he were inspecting some rare or valuable artifact. I did not understand his expression in the slightest.

"I must admit that I'm a bit confused," I said, staring back at him with incertitude. He sighed, his expression turning tender, yet apprehensive.

"Whether it was tonight, or tomorrow, or next week, or even next month, it was inevitable Bella. We eventually would have been discovered. It wasn't a matter of _if_ , it was a matter of _when,_ " he said gently. I shook my head back and forth at him, unable to follow the absurdity of his logic.

"But how could it be inevitable Edward? Surely we …"

"Bella," he began, his voice low and thick like honey. His words seemed to have suddenly caught in his throat. His Adam's apple bobbed beneath the skin of his neck, and his breathing suddenly hitched, as I felt the sudden ceasing of the rise and fall of his chest. His heartbeat too began to increase in tempo, and his gaze turned to that of swirling molten gold as his expression melted to one of such an intensely ardent fondness that I felt my own breathing begin to hitch beneath its power. When he again spoke it was in but a whisper.

"Bella – I care very deeply about you, can't you see that?" His words rang like music in my ears, flowing their way downward into my soul, washing me clean off all the filth and grime that had been accumulating. I felt the balmy sunshine of the meaning of his words spread through my body, warming me from within, causing my heart to sputter and burst forth with adoration. I felt brighter, and lighter than I had in all of my living memory, feeling a tingling sensation spread to every nerve ending in my body. I stared at him with utter enamorment, as I saw him apprehensively gauging my response to his declaration.

"I care about you too Edward – in case it wasn't obvious," I whispered back to him, a smile of immense might washing across my face. The smile that he returned to me was more brilliant than the freshly rising sun across the land, more luminous than the stark paleness of a moon at night, more dazzling than a shooting star streaking across the heavens. Without warning his hands pulled my body upwards towards him, as he pressed his lips into mine with a previously unknown tenderness. I felt my fingers thread through his silky bronze hair, pulling him into me and his hands worked their up my back beneath the blanket that protected us from the outside world.

The sound of a stranger clearing their throat abruptly pulled us from our bubble of isolation, and I looked over my shoulder to see three girls sitting on the bench across the fire from us, giggling profusely at our actions. Normally I would have felt deeply embarrassed by my public display of affection, but as high as my heart was flying in that moment, I did not truly care. I chuckled at my own situation in spite of myself. Edward placed his arm back over my shoulder pulling me against his side. He exhaled powerfully.

"So you see Bella, upon realizing how I felt, realizing that I would not leave, everything else became irrelevant," he said softly.

"The only factor about my future that truly mattered, was that I would be able to spend it with you, and I was becoming very impatient to be able to do that unhindered by the possibility of being discovered," he said with a broad grin. I chuckled at him.

"Well, I suppose the cat is out of the bag now," I said playfully, pulling myself farther up his chest to meet the perfect contour of his lips with my own. The giggling from across the fire resumed with renewed intensity and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the girls who felt so keen to interrupt my time with Edward.

"Oh grow up and leave them alone," Alice's musical voice chastised them. She strolled over casually to lean against the bench on which Edward and I were snuggled up. She stared down at us out of the corner of her eye and faked a high pitched giggle. I shot her a nasty look, before breaking out in laughter, which she joined me in. Even Edward gave a light chuckle as well, though I felt certain that he could not see the glare that I had given Alice. She smiled warmly down at us.

"You know if you'd like, the two of you can turn in early," she said warmly. "I've taken care of what you asked Edward, and I also left you a surprise in your room. Consider it my blessing," she said, nodding her head at us.

"Jasper and I can handle the departures from here," she said with a warm smile. Edward stared at his sister, sincere gratitude painted across his expression.

"Thank you, Alice. For everything," he said.

"Yeah, yeah now get off my porch you lovebirds," Alice said gruffly with a laugh. I smiled at her appreciatively and began to pull myself upright off of Edward's body. Before I was able to bring myself to my feet, something caught me behind my knees and across my back, and before I was cognoscente of what was happening, I found myself being carried in Edward's arms through the doorway to the living room.

"Edward!" I exclaimed, glaring up at him in bewilderment, a smile finding its way to my face. The corners of his mouth began to twist upwards into a grin of amusement, shaking his head slightly as he carried me down the back hallway of the house. When the lights from the living room had almost faded to nothingness behind us, I felt him open a door in the darkness, revealing another spectacular room. The walls were white and lined with vintage images of the Chicago skyline of the roaring twenties. From the ceiling hung an interlaced pattern of Edison style bulbs, which cast the room in a beautiful, warm glow. On every table in the room were dozens of lit, white candles, which cast a flickering aura of light around the room that was warm, subtle, and most of all, beautiful. Adorning the center of the large bed, lay a decorative, shimmering silver platter graced with chocolate dipped strawberries, arranged in the shape of a heart. I could see Edward smirk at the tray of delicacies that ornamented his bed and I realized that the dish must have been Alice's gift to us. I couldn't help but allow my eyes to dart about the room once more, coming to the realization that the dozens of candles that illuminated the beautiful space had all be arranged by Edward specifically for my arrival. I was unable to withhold the smile that crept its way across my face at Edwards's thoughtfulness. He glanced downward at me, noticing my smirk, his eyebrow arching perfectly above his features.

"What?" he asked, his lips twitching upwards at the edges.

"You're incredible," I said with an expression of adoration, an appreciative smile gracing my features.

"Ah, but you are the one who is truly remarkable," he responded, a breathtaking smile working its way across his expression, which struck me as forcefully as ever in the warm, flickering glow. I had recently come to the conclusion that I would never become desensitized to Edward's unparalleled pulchritude, though I saw nothing detrimental about that fact in the slightest.

His eyes never leaving mine, he began to slowly lower me downwards until I was sitting comfortably on the grey sheets that lined the mattress, with my feet dangling off of the side towards the ground. His body showed no signs of strain from carrying my weight as he sat himself along the edge of the mattress between me and the lavish desserts that Alice had so thoughtfully prepared for us. He wrapped an arm about me, pulling me gently, yet firmly against his side. I could feel the heat emanating from his body, its energy seeming to flow through me with the dynamic magnetism that his presence always seemed to produce within my very being. His gaze lingered upon my face with tender affection, and I couldn't help but be thankful for everything that he was to me, and everything that he was doing for me, no matter how irrational his sacrifices may be. I felt my chest tighten slightly as my mind began to realize the weight of the consequences that would soon be brought down upon us, and felt once again with conviction that I was in no way worth the formidable ramifications that our actions would soon bring upon us. Edward's expression began to transform into one of unease as he surely recognized the unpleasantness of my thoughts by my suddenly somber expression.

"What's the matter?" he asked, concern coloring his velvet smooth voice. His eyes lay upon me, searching mine for some indication as to what was upsetting me.

"It's nothing," I said, attempting to sound natural, but his gaze quickly turned skeptical. I exhaled deeply.

"It's just that – It seems rather unavoidable now that everyone will know about us by the time we return to campus. I'm just worried about what is going to happen to you is all," I admitted contritely. His expression softened, before a magnificent smile suddenly graced his lips.

"I'd like to make a proposal," he said, his attitude suddenly ebullient. I glanced upwards at him with confounded dubiety.

"And what might that be?" I asked cautiously. His smile did not diminish.

"We can talk about our own impending doom all you would like in the morning, but I propose that this evening we prohibit such unpleasant conversations and simply enjoy our time together, as we so seldom have such opportunities," he said, his eyes gentle and compelling. I hesitated momentarily, turning his proposal over in my mind, before ultimately coming to the conclusion that although discussing what was to come was certainly important, and would of course alleviate my own trepidation, Edward was correct. This evening presented such a scarce and precious opportunity. I would not squander it by preoccupying myself with thoughts of such negativity, when the primary source of positivity that existed in my life sat beside me so willingly. To do such a thing, I determined, would be unequivocally foolish. I nodded at him; bring a smile to my lips as I pushed the future aside, to focus once again on the present.

"Deal," I whispered, placing my hand gently upon his thigh, feeling the solid density of his body beneath the lightness of my touch. I gazed upwards at him to see him grinning downward at me with contentment. The arm with which he was not holding me vanished for a moment before reappearing before me, delicately gripping a chocolate covered strawberry by the stem. He smirked at me playfully.

"Strawberry?" he asked, raising a frisky eyebrow in my direction. I chuckled lightly at him.

"It would be rude to Alice if we didn't accept her gift. Think of how offended she would be," he said with mock condescension, before the edges of his lips again pulled themselves up into a smile. I rolled my eyes playfully at him, before smiling in return. I began to reach my arm across him towards the dessert platter that lay behind his left-hand side, but he stopped me gently with his hand, raising an eyebrow at me jovially. He began to move the strawberry that was in his hand slowly towards my mouth. I suddenly realized what he was attempting to do and couldn't stop myself as I began to outwardly laugh at him.

"What?" he said playfully, the jovial smile still spread widely across his face.

"This is ridiculous," I practically cackled out, my head falling upon his shoulder as I attempted to contain myself.

"Eating desserts can be a very sensual activity," he said in a tone that sounded almost like he was mockingly goading me for being ridiculous. I continued laughing, looking up at him with an uncontainable smile.

"Sure Edward, good luck with that," I laughed out at him, before finally beginning to calm myself to a light chuckle. He was staring at me with a sudden defiance in his eyes.

"Is that a challenge?" he asked raising his eyebrow at me, cocking his head slightly to the side. I finally stopped chuckling, taking in his look of determination, a look that was very becoming on his flawless features. I supposed if any one person would be able to make eating a sensual activity, it would likely be Edward.

"You know what? Yes…" I said, cocking my eyebrow back at him.

"Yes it is," I repeated, smirking at him playfully. His expression melted beneath mine, and his eyes seemed to suddenly sparkle with golden fire, ensnaring me in his gaze. He leaned forward towards me, his arm moving to my right shoulder, his fingers tracing a line of electric heat beneath his gentle touch across my back. My heart began to accelerate beneath the energy of his touch, and I inhaled deeply as his fingers continued tracing down my left arm over my bare, unprotected skin. He waved the strawberry tantalizingly beneath my nose as I inhaled, filling my head with the decadent scent of chocolate, before I simply was unable to resist him any longer, and sank my teeth into the delicacy, holding his gaze as I did so. I pulled the berry clean of his hand with my teeth, biting off the tip, and catching the remainder of it in my hand. His hand lingered upon my arm, and with my free arm I held the remainder of the berry close to him, and watched as he took the remainder of the strawberry into his mouth, his smoldering eyes never departing mine. His hand suddenly departed my arm to move to the hand with which I had just fed him the delicacy, pulling it nearer to his lips. After a brief pause, he gently placed his lips against the inside of my wrist, sending a rolling wave of electricity up my arm, which spread rapidly throughout my body.

I could tolerate his taunting no longer. I pulled my wrist gently from his grasp, away from his lips, and moved my hand downward across the perfection of his face before coming to rest on the lapel of his light blue, buttoned up shirt. I tugged on it with all of my might, pulling his face towards mine, planting my lips passionately onto his. He responded with a fervor that I had not anticipated, sending waves of sensual pleasure racing through my body. My heart began pounding rapidly in my chest, and my breathing was quickly becoming frantic. I only barely noticed his spare hand move the tray of deserts to the ottoman at the foot of his bed, before he swung his arm around my waist, lifting me forcefully but carefully into a horizontal position on the bed. He positioned himself carefully on my left-hand side, his eyes burning into mine with such avidity that I felt as though I would be set ablaze in the fires of his passion. I ran my hands upwards over the thin blue fabric that concealed his torso from my sight, moving it over the firmness of his chest, and found my mind once again imagining the perfection of him without the concealment of his clothing. It suddenly dawned upon me that here, alone in his room, I could finally have exactly what I desired from him, and I felt my breath catch in anticipation at what I wanted, what I didn't know if I had the courage to do. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, attempting to bolster my own resolve, and upon opening them, I saw him staring at me curiously.

I gave him no precursor to my action. I sat up beside him, grasping at the collar of his shirt, pulling against it firmly until he too had assumed a seated position, before planting a soft and passionate kiss upon his lips, which he returned lustfully. I moved my lips downward to his chin, kissing the perfectly smooth skin of his jaw, progressing further down his neck, until my lips stopped at the top button of his shirt. I moved my hands diligently to the button, unclasping it with ease, my eyes drifting over the newly exposed skin of his upper chest. I saw understanding flash across his expression almost instantly upon my unfastening of the button of his shirt, and his hands moved to assist me with the second, and the third, progressing downward quickly. The shirt was tightly fitted and thus did not open more than a sliver as his hands made their way down the buttons lining the front of it, as though his clothing wished to continue to conceal his secrets until the very last moment, like it had determined that I was unworthy to glimpse upon his bare magnificence. His eyes met with mine upon my hands unfastening the final button, and his hands wrapped securely about my waist, pulling me upward with him until both of us rested upon our knees, kneeling in the center of the mattress. His eyes were filled with mysterious hesitation, almost as though he was in some way trepidatious, before his expression smoothed over upon observing my eagerness. His hands moved up the small sliver of the gap in his shirt until they hand reached the center of his chest and in one lithe motion, he pulled the fabric clear of his body, leaving only a small amount clinging to his forearms which were now behind his back, before he rolled the fabric lazily off of him and onto the floor.

I inhaled sharply, overwhelmed by the sight of him, by his irresistible, masculine power. Even my most extravagant fantasies had in no way come close to doing him any justice. My eyes took him in as quickly as they could, wishing to memorize every inch of him: the powerful magnitude of his masculine chest, the perfect chisel of his muscular abdomen, the light dusting of hair that fell between his flawless pectorals, around his nipples, and connecting his navel to areas that were still concealed by clothing. He appeared all at once to be flawlessly soft, and angelic in his form, not so overly powerful that I would be uncomfortable in his embrace, as his body still appeared perfectly cuddlesome, but yet still exuding an irrefutable aura of sculpted virility. He was truly a marvel, and I found him nearly overwhelming as I stared at him in the flickering, warm light, my breathing rapid. He glanced back at me with uncertainty as I gazed at him. I knew what my body and mind desired more than anything, and even in my apprehension I felt powerless to deny them. Hesitantly, I extended my hands towards the perfectly defined muscular planes of his bare chest, as he gazed at me reassuringly, and pressed my hands against his bare skin. His body seemed to burn beneath my palms, as I pulled my hands downward through the light dusting of hair, across the firmness of his powerful pectorals, until my hands finally made their way across the defined undulations of his stomach. He released a low guttural moan as my hands finally came to a rest on his hips along the waistband of his pants. He had thrown his head backwards, and his chest rose and fell with as much rapidity as mine did. He glanced downward at me lustfully, before lowering his head to the side of my neck, exhaling warmly along my exposed skin and downward across my shoulders, before finally placing his lips upon me. His hand gently guided my head to the side, brushing my hair away from my face, before gently caressing my cheek and turning my head so that I had a perfect view of his athletic biceps. My hands moved their way around to the front of his trousers, unfastening the button that secured them with ease. I felt desire flood through me as his lips moved their way back upwards along my neck to just below my ear, and I felt his other hand move its way up my back until it clasped to the zipper along the back of my dress. I felt the fabric separate and fall away from my body, seeming to roll off of me effortlessly as his lips again reconnected with mine, my tongue gently brushing at his through his parted lips, sending jolts of heart pounding flames leaping through me. My hands ran ravenously down the length of his bare back, feeling the quivering power of his musculature beneath my voracious fingers, before my hands made their way down to his now unfastened trousers, sliding them from his body effortlessly.

He pulled back from me momentarily as my dress fell away from me completely, leaving me with nothing but my undergarments for concealment. His eyes raked their way up and down my form libidinously, and I could barely suppress my carnal need for him as I found myself gazing at the perfection of his exposed flesh, kneeling before me in his undergarments. I wrapped my hands forcefully around his neck, and he pushed me backwards towards the bed until I felt my back strike the pillows with a thud. His hands extended outward to catch his body weight so as not to land on top of me with full force. He stared deeply into my eyes with the swirling golden depths of his, his arms noticeably trembling, his breathing rapid, and uneven. Yet, his expression was notably hesitant.

"Bella," he whispered breathlessly, rolling himself over until he was against my left side. The grating sound of his arousal called to me like a moth to the flame. I turned my head to stare at him, watching his bare chest rise and fall with his breath, as his eyes glistened at me with irrefutable desire.

"Yes?" I whispered back, my own voice ragged, and rough.

"We do not have to do anything with which you don't feel comfortable, regardless of any preconceived notions you may have about what you assume that I desire," he said, his eyes locked into mine. I chuckled raggedly at him.

"Edward, please - don't be a buzzkill," I said with a playful smile, pulling the blankets up around me as I rotated myself on top of him face down, my arms resting on the exposed skin of his chest. He looked up at me with a combination of bemusement, joviality, and lustful desire, which was both endearing, and highly provocative.

"Well," he began with a smirk, "What do you want from me instead?" he asked playfully, smiling seductively upwards at me. I began to run my hands downward across his chest until they disappeared below the horizon of the blanket which covered us.

"What do _I_ want from _you_?" I asked coquettishly, running my hands over the perfect undulations of his stomach until I finally felt the elastic waistband of his undergarment. I smiled at him deviously as I gripped the sides of his waistband, and began to ever so carefully slide them downward until I could no longer feel their resistance. I lowered myself to the level of his chest until I had completely cleared the undergarment of his toes and pulled myself back up to meet his eyes with my concupiscent gaze. I pressed myself at long last against the unrestrained entirety of his perfection, pulling his undergarment from beneath the covers, allowing its black fabric to dangle precariously from my fingertips before him. I paused for a moment, smiling coyly at him as he stared back at me with awed arousal, before I leaned forwards towards him, to whisper delicately in his ear.

" _Everything,"_


	18. Chapter 18

As my mind drifted forth from the haze of unconsciousness, I found myself utterly perplexed. Even without having opened my eyes, I was vaguely aware that I was unfamiliar with my surroundings. There was no muffled chatter filling my ears, no daylight streaming onto my face from the window, and no rumbling of the heat vent in the center of my room. Instead, there was music; a beautiful tempo that seemed almost so corporeal that I could feel it against my cheek. Perplexed, I lifted the heavy curtains of my eyelids, and was immediately blinded by the whiteness of unfamiliarity, the brightness of the ceiling I determined after a brief moment of uncertainty. I closed my eyes again, turning my cheek into the warm, rhythmic music. It seemed so vividly real, filling my hazy mind with its beautiful tempo. I opened my eyes once more, knowing that I was familiar with the source, but unable to place it in my foggy state. I almost audibly gasped at what I saw before me, jolting myself awake as I stared across the magnificence of Edward's bare chest to see his glistening golden eyes appraising me with a soft smile planted upon his face. My cheek rested on the smooth warmth of his bare skin and the marvelous rhythm of his heart filled my ears.

"Good morning," he said softly, his velvety voice reverberating beautifully within his chest. I smiled back upwards at him, taking in the incredible sight of him. During the night, his normally neat hair, which would typically be styled upwards, had fallen downward chaotically across his face, the longest strands of which rested fully below his eyes. There was something about the untamed nature of his bronze locks that looked unimaginably alluring, as was the five 'o'clock shadow which graced his neck and jawline.

"Morning," I whispered softly, my breath ruffling the hair gracing the centerline of his chest. I closed my eyes once again, absorbing the glorious music of his heartbeat into my memory, allowing it remove any other thoughts from my being.

"How did you sleep?" he asked gently, his hand finding its way to the back of my head, stroking gently down the length of my tangled hair.

"Soundly," I responded lightly, allowing my body to relax deeper into the firmness of his musculature. I could not recall stirring at all through the night.

"How about you? Did you sleep alright?" I asked, not able to open my heavy eyes.

"I dare say I did," he responded, his body humming against my cheek. I cracked my eyes briefly to see a small smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth before again allowing them to fall closed.

"It's probably because all of that physical activity wore you out," I said, a taunting smile breaking across my features. I felt his chest rise and fall beneath my cheek as he chuckled at me, and I opened my eyes once more to see him smiling upward towards the ceiling.

"I suppose I must admit that last night was some of the most _enjoyable_ physical activity I have ever experienced," he said, smirking playfully down at me.

"Some of?" I asked, distorting my face in mock offense. He chuckled downward at me once more, his lips curling upwards at the edges.

"It was unequalled in all of my experience," he said, his eyes glistening at me, as he leaned his head downwards towards me. Seemingly without my permission my body began to stretch upwards towards him, as my lips burned with desire for his. When I was a mere moment from meeting his lips, he suddenly paused, pulling away from me slightly, a pensive expression suddenly painted across his face, as though he had abruptly remembered something of great importance. He chuckled slightly to himself as I looked at him with perplexity, my lips still yearning for his.

"Perhaps…" he began his eyes wondering back down towards mine, "…I should go freshen up a bit. Otherwise this may be slightly – unpleasant," he concluded with a smirk, seemingly not understanding that to me it would make absolutely no difference as long as I was in his arms. Still, at his words I was suddenly aware of the unpleasant taste of my own mouth, and realized that perhaps Edward was wise to suggest such a course of action.

"Right – of course," I said with an edge of frustrated forbearance. He glanced downwards at me apologetically, as I reluctantly rolled myself away from the serene comfort of his chest.

"I'll be back in just a moment," he said softly, as he began to roll out from under the comforter, revealing himself fully to me once again as he had the previous evening. Now, illuminated in the soft cool glow of the morning light which poured through the windows, he appeared even more flawless than he had the previous evening, and I felt a fresh wave of carnal desire crash through my ever so willing body. He looked every bit as flawless as a statue, as if his body had been carved perfectly from stone, and I could not prevent myself from openly staring at him. He however, misread my expression of awe as one of doubt.

"I promise," he said gently, nodding his head in my direction, and I quickly shook my head in an attempt to gain some coherency in the face of him. I smiled at him with as playful of an expression as I could muster in my increasingly libidinous state.

"Don't take too long," I said, my ravenous hunger apparent in my voice. His lips curled up at the edges as his eyes raked over my naked form, which lay just below the thin top sheet. As his eyes made their way back up to mine, he nodded his head, winking at me alluringly before stepping through the door to the bathroom, leaving me alone with my thoughts for the first time since our relationship had changed forever. Not only had it changed in a physical sense, but in the sense of publicity as well, as I felt fairly certain that by now, the entire school was likely aware of Edward's and my romantic involvement. I knew that now, in the freshness of the morning light, I could not avoid the issue any longer, as I had agreed to do last night. It was time for me to investigate how bad our situation truly was.

I stretched my arms out sideways, rotating them up over my head as I pointed my toes and stretched my feet as far as they would go, feeling the last remaining remnants of sleep leaving my body. I reached my left hand blindly to the bedside table to find my telephone, suddenly feeling my hand collide with something solid, which slid off the edge of the table with a loud smacking noise. I rolled my eyes at my own stupidity, as I should have known better than to blindly reach for something in a room with which I was not familiar. I truly hoped that whatever I had dislodged was not damaged in any way. I sat myself upright in the bed, pulling the top sheet around my body, as I did not particularly enjoy feeling so exposed. I couldn't help but be perplexed as I stared down at the black wooden surface of the nightstand beside Edward's bed. Marked in the surface, I could clearly see the outline of where the mysterious object that I had gracelessly knocked to the floor had been, but that was not what caused my puzzlement, but rather, what laid underneath where the object had been, for there, inlaid two inches into the middle of the black surface of the nightstand, was a small, unlabeled, black button. I felt my eyebrow shoot upwards across my face in perplexity at the oddity of its placement. Why in the world would someone design a bedside table with a button hidden in a recessed slot? It seemed an odd location for a light switch, which in my mind seemed the only logical thing that would be built into a bedside table, unless of course, but my mind stopped the thought mid process, as it was entirely preposterous. Not only would the button not have been built with the intent of keeping it hidden beneath something, but even if that were the purpose of the design, why would Edward own such a piece of furniture? I attempted to push the absurd thoughts from my consciousness in order to search for what I had dislodged from the surface of the table, but my mind would not allow me to drag my focus away from the button. I had to discover its purpose.

My finger flew forward without my express permission, and my wave of self-reproach reached my hand too late to stop myself, as my finger plunged downward upon the black button. I wasn't entirely sure what I had expected to happen when I pressed the concealed button. Perhaps the lamp would have turned on, or music would have begun to play, or some sort of intercom system would have activated, or any number of other things that my mind had anticipated transpiring. Instead of anything that I had envisioned, my ears were greeted with a muffled clicking noise, somewhat reminiscent of a latch releasing, somewhere across the room on my left hand side. I turned my head in the direction of the noise, searching with the utmost scrutiny for its origin, but there seemed to be nothing distinguishably different about the room at all. I had almost abandoned my search and resumed seeking whatever object I had carelessly dislodged, when I noticed one edge of the vintage image of the navy pier that hung in the center of the far wall was no longer flush with the wall's surface, but rather appeared to be hanging almost an inch away from it, an observation I found rather peculiar. I looked over my shoulder, holding my breath momentarily, listening to the spraying jets of the shower through the door, before I wrapped myself thoroughly in the soft top sheet and made my way across the room to inspect the image.

I was at first, entirely unsure of what I had found myself gazing upon. The edge of the left side of the image's canvas had somehow separated itself from the wall and a small silver latch protruded from the center of the back left side of the image. A perfect coin sized slot existed in the wall where the latch obviously belonged. There seemed to be something glinting in the darkness behind the image, and so I pulled at it lightly in order to determine if it would move farther away from the wall. I was taken aback at how easily the entire piece of canvas glided outwards, and realized quickly that the far side of the canvas was attached on the other side by a pair of silver hinges. The image was a door, I realized, but what in the world was its purpose, I pondered, and I felt my chest tighten in anticipation of what might lay behind it. Before me, behind the concealing image of the navy pier which was now swung open widely, was a small container door of finished silver metal which gleamed ominously in the light of the open window. In the center of it lied a keypad, with ten perfectly square grey buttons, each with a number ranging between zero and nine on its face. I recognized what it was that was before me. It was a safe.

I stood blank faced, staring at the safe as my breathing began to accelerate, for its very presence was nearly as inexplicable as it was alarming. Why would Edward have a hidden safe in the wall of his bedroom? What did he own that was valuable enough to need that level of protection? Suddenly a new thought occurred to me, and the ramifications of it began to swim through my head with frightening speed. What if it wasn't that he needed to protect something of value, but rather that he needed to hide something surreptitious? Possibly even something hazardous? My mind drifted backwards through time, until I once again recalled myself crouching beneath the desk in his office, with the serrated, deadly blade of the concealed knife secured mere inches above my head. I felt my chest tighten around the memory as I continued to stare at the undisclosed safe that was directly before me now. My mind drifted further to the words that Alice and Jasper had spoken, that there was something that Edward needed to tell me, something that Edward was keeping from me, something that they were all keeping from me, that secrets did not like to lie in the dark, and now, gazing upon what lie hidden in his bedroom wall, I had the distinct notion that whatever he was hiding from me was nothing positive.

I was yanked from my reverie by the realization that I could no longer hear the streaming torrents of water through the bathroom door. My eyes snapped open as my heart began to gallop violently in my chest. I could not allow him to know that I was aware of his secret, as I felt that he would likely be very upset with me to say the least. I quickly closed the canvas door, making sure that it latched firmly with the wall, and turned to dart back across the room towards his bedside table. I shoved my arm into the darkness behind the nightstand to retrieve the item that I had knocked loose. My hands finally came into contact with something cold and plastic, and I latched my fingers around it, pulling it upwards to the surface of the table. It was a sleek, black clock, which fit perfectly over the opening in the nightstand which concealed the button in its surface. I had barely finished placing the clock back over top of the hidden device when the bathroom door flew open. I spun around quickly to face Edward in the doorway, hoping that my anxiety was not written plainly across my face, as I clutched the sheet across my chest. I mustered up the most enthusiastic smile that I could, although the sight of his flawlessly muscular torso dripping with moisture certainly helped a significant amount. He smirked at me, his eyes roaming over the sheet that covered my naked form.

"Have I told you this morning that you look absolutely ravaging?" He said, his voice soft like summer rain. I glanced downward at the hardwood floor, both to cover the crimson that colored my cheeks, and to better disguise my apprehension.

"Did you leave me any hot water?" I asked softly, making my way to the bathroom door as quickly as I could without making him suspicious. He glanced at me playfully, although there was an inexplicable edge in his eyes. I knew immediately that his intuition was observing me, and had noticed that there was something off about my behavior. I couldn't allow him the time to figure out what it was. He chuckled lightly.

"Of course, and I left you something to change into as well," he said with a nod, as I watched the befuddlement swim deep in the golden depths of his eyes.

"I'll be right out," I said faintly, attempting to keep my expression as positive as I could until the door closed behind me. I did not believe that he had figured out what was bothering me, but I knew that I had to reign myself in before I stepped out of the bathroom again. I let the sheet drop to the floor about my feet, and stepped forward into the large glass shower. It had a specialized faucet which made the water flow forth as gentle as though it were rain, and the grey tile walls were cool to the touch, cool beneath my feet. I had not had the luxury of a shower such as this in many years, and I allowed the warm gentle waters to roll pleasantly over my body, soaking my hair and my skin, until it swirled about my feet and down the drain. My mind swirled as the water did, jumping violently between thoughts of secrets, safes, and knives. I supposed it was entirely possible that Edward, and perhaps even his entire family, had some dark and dubious secret. Perhaps Edward was actually a serial killer, and at any moment he would burst through the door and end my life in a fashion similar to Norman Bates. I actually chuckled slightly through my tension as the preposterousness of that particular idea settled upon me. I sighed heavily, once again roaming through the signs that had been placed before me. I allowed my mind to spin the images together, as the soothing water rushed over me, and I stood motionless for many minutes, simply inhaling and exhaling the steam. Finally a thought floated to the forefront of my mind that had not previously been present. I knew that his family expected him to tell me something, and they expected him to tell me soon. I also felt fairly positive of another theory: that discussion had something to do with an undivulged secret, something regarding hidden safes, and concealed knives. I additionally felt certain of something else, not necessarily in my mind, but rather in my heart. I felt certain that he cared about me, and if I were to assume that was true, I also believed that there was a reason he had not yet told me what he was hiding. I suddenly felt my body relax almost entirely as I realized yet another thing of which I was entirely certain: that I trusted him. I trusted him not to hurt me, and I trusted him to tell me the truth if I ever confronted him about it, and that I realized, was good enough for me.

I turned the shower off, reaching around the door until my hand fastened to the white towel which hung from the rack on the other side of the glass. The towel was much softer and plusher than those I had owned in my dormitory, and so I took a few moments simply to feel the texture of it against my bare skin. I stepped out into the moist air of the bathroom, for the first time truly taking in my surroundings. The room was rather expansive, with all cool colors of charcoal grey, whites and teals. The countertop was made of a light grey speckled stone and a large jacuzzi tub was inlaid on the far side of the room, opposite the shower. That was where my backpack pack rested, ready for my use. I also noticed however, that in the corner laid the button up shirt that Edward had worn beneath his leather jacket the previous afternoon when he had come to retrieve me from my dormitory. I waltzed across the room towards it, picking it up almost out of habit, as I did back in my dormitory with his leather jacket that still lay tucked away in my cloths, and inhaled deeply. His scent lingered far stronger in the freshly worn garment than it did on his jacket, which had been intermingling with my own clothes for far too long. The musky pine sent thundered through me like a waterfall, washing out all of the doubt that I had harbored merely moments ago, replacing it entirely the warmth of his presence. I sighed deeply, staring at my backpack of clothes only a few feet away, not wishing to relinquish his scent as of yet, so greatly had it calmed me. I stared at the shirt and on a momentary impulse, began unbuttoning the length of it, and placed it about my body, allowing myself to swim in his scent as I rebuttoned the shirt about my own form. It did not have quite the same soothing power that his actual embrace had for me, but it was certainly close enough to dispel the remainder of my tension, and so I opened the door out of the bathroom, content to wear his shirt for as long as he would allow me to. I hoped he would not be upset about me borrowing his belongings.

As I stepped into the sharp, brisk air of his bedroom, I found the space to be entirely vacant, with the door leading to the hallway swung completely open. Heavenly scents drifted from the doorway, pulling me forwards towards the source of their origin. I had made it through the door into the short hallway when the incredible aroma suddenly began to change. A loud beeping sound filled the air from the other end of the grey hall, which was lined with additional vintage photos. I tried not to look at them, to avoid allowing my thoughts to return to the safe hidden behind his wall, and instead focused on the shrill beeping coming from the other end of the hallway in the living area.

"Ah shit, shit!" I heard Edward's smooth voice exclaim with an edge of agitation. I emerged into the large living space, which had been returned to a state exactly the same as I had seen it the first time, for somehow all remnants of the party had been miraculously removed in only a few hours' time. I would have been far more surprised, but I was beginning to learn never to underestimate Alice's abilities. I allowed my eyes to drift towards the kitchen, where I now saw a veil of smoke filling the air, originating from the toaster oven on the corner of the counter. Edward stood with his hand in a bright red oven mitt, fanning at the toaster oven vigorously as he tried to pull the charred blackened pieces of bread from the opening along the top of the toaster, continuing to swear beneath his breath. I strolled over to the edge of the counter and sat at one of the sleek, black barstools.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, trying my best to conceal my amusement. He pulled the blackened remains of the other piece of toast from the toaster, looking at the machine with exasperation, and I couldn't help but chuckle at his plight. At least it appeared that the eggs he had cooked had turned out perfectly.

"Yes, I just – ruined our breakfast is all," He said, shaking his head slightly before turning to look in my direction for the first time since I had emerged from the hallway. His eyes widened as he glanced over my figure, which was covered in his own clothing. A smirk pulled at the edges of his lips as his eyes met mine.

"Settling in I see," he said, smiling at me playfully. I felt a sudden twinge pull at my stomach, realizing that he may have found my presumptuous behavior offensive.

"I'm sorry – I just thought…" I stammered, but he began to laugh almost musically, interrupting my train of thought, his eyes glistening fiercely at me.

"No. Don't apologize," he began, his eyes appraising me.

"You look so…" he began, his voice trailing off. I watched as his top teeth took his bottom lip beneath them, biting down ever so slightly. It was far more seductive a glance than I'm sure he intended it to be, and I felt my hunger for him begin to rise once more as my eyes drifted downward over the perfection of his shirtless musculature.

"… nubile," he finished, his voice heavy, his eyes burning into me as I glanced back up at him. I wished to leap across counter, to throw myself upon him, to feel his power hold me tightly against him and force me to do his bidding, but I doubted that either Alice or Jasper would so desire to walk into their kitchen to see the two of us consummating our feelings for one another, and so I restrained myself. Still, I could not pull myself away from his eyes; his deep, beautiful, trustworthy eyes. My inquiry spilled from my lips before I was even cognitively aware of its presence.

"Edward, if I asked you a question, would you answer me?" I inquired. His eyebrow shot upward over his expression, clearly puzzled by my query.

"Yes, of course," he answered softly, his eyes earnest.

"Any question at all?" I pried further. I could see the intuition flashing in his eyes as it had earlier, but as I had suspected, he had not figured out the cause of my discomfort and so he stared at me now with incertitude. I kept my expression as neutral as possible. I would give him no additional indications of my knowledge.

"Yes, without hesitation," he responded, clearly perplexed.

"And you would answer truthfully?" I pressed further, as his brow furled, clearly wondering why I felt the need to ask such questions.

"Without equivocation," he replied. I kept my face neutral as he searched for any hint that would betray the motive behind my line of questioning.

"Do you promise?" I asked him in a whisper.

"I promise," he began, his perplexity beginning to almost border upon frustration.

"I'm afraid I don't understand. What is your question Bella?" He asked, clearly attempting to comprehend my train of thought. I paused for a moment before I answered him, uncertain of whether or not I wanted to allow my train of thought to continue.

"That was my question," I told him softly, feeling entirely certain of his honesty. I now knew with conviction that if I asked him the purpose of the safe, or the knife, that he would answer me entirely honestly. That knowledge alone was good enough for me, and so I would be content to remain quiet until such a time as the question became uncontainable. Edward admittedly still looked rather confused.

"Ah," he began, "I see," he said, looking downward at me irresolutely.

"Do you?" I asked, concealing the twinge of fear that shot through my body, wary of having been discovered.

"No – not at all," he conceded. I couldn't help but chuckle at his response, and he joined me, smiling at me with breathtaking pulchritude. I smiled back at him, before I felt the weight of reality begin to once again fight against me, pulling me back downward towards the ground from the heights to which I was able to soar when I was with Edward, for I realized that I had more than just the problem of secrecy to overcome now, a problem that I felt more or less secure would eventually reveal itself to me. No, I now faced the problem of publicity, of the world knowing of my affections for the unbelievable man who stood before me in that moment. I realized the inescapable gravity of our situation, and the damnation that was likely to come of it, but I was simply unable to force myself to care, for I loved him, and I knew that I would rather walk through hell by his side, than through heaven without him.

"Do we know how bad it is?" I asked with a heavy sigh, not wanting to face the unbearable weight of what laid ahead, but knowing that eventually it would catch up with us. It was better to be prepared I resolved, than to be caught off guard.

"No. I intentionally haven't even begun to look into it. I'm honestly a bit too concerned of what we may find." He said, his eyes glancing downward beneath the weight of our situation.

"Well, luckily for you, I have." Alice's musical voice rang through the living room like the chimes of a bell as she practically danced into the kitchen, the skirt of her blue dress fluttering gracefully through the air as she twirled to Edward's side. Edward glanced up at her, apprehension swirling unsteadily in his eyes.

"How bad is the damage?" He asked her, though his expression told me clearly that he was unsure if he actually desired to know the answer to his own query.

"Jessica was nothing short of thorough. Apparently Eric Yorkie managed to take more photos of the two of you together, photos that Jessica was willing to supplement with photos of her and Bella, photos that damn her as the girl you have been seeing. The entire school knows that the two of you have been involved," Alice said, sympathy washing over her expression as her eyes glanced between her brother and myself.

"But, I have been on the phone with Carlisle all morning, trying to find you both the most likely way out of this entire situation. You're welcome by the way," she said throwing Edward a mocking glance. He looked far too anxious for gratitude, but still gave her a small semblance of an appreciative nod.

"I think we have a plan that may lessen the severity of your punishment," she said, glancing between us in a considered manner. Edward glanced at her with raging curiosity.

"And that is?" he prompted her impatiently. She glanced upward at him, their electrically golden eyes meeting as though some silent communication was transpiring between them.

"You can go to the board of the School of Internal Medicine directly, and request a hearing – both of you," Alice said, her gaze drifting towards me as she finished presenting her idea to us. Edward's eyes began darting about the room frantically.

"That's absolutely insane. That would be akin to willingly walking before a firing squad," Edward said, his voice frantic.

"It's smart," I replied in barely more than a whisper, staring absently at the texture of the light grey walls of the kitchen. Out of my periphery I could see Edward glaring at me as though he were concerned that I had lost my mental faculties.

"It brings the problem to them, before they have time to gather any more evidence. It causes them to have to scramble, to make a decision more quickly. It's the best chance we have at getting as minimal of a sentence as we can," I said, my eyes darting between Alice's smirk, and Edward's terror. He stared at me imploringly, searching for something in depths of my eyes.

"Bella, are you sure about this," Edward asked, his voice tense as he rested his hand on top of mine, the warmth of his palm sharply contrasting the cool surface of the countertop. I meshed my fingers with his.

"No – but we can't avoid it any longer. Besides – I'm not afraid," I said, meeting his gaze. He looked back down at me with bemusement.

"You're not?" he asked, cocking his eyebrow at me.

"No," I whispered.

"And I won't be as long as I have you by my side," I said, locking my stare with his golden eyes. His expression melted tenderly as he slowly leaned forward across the counter to press his perfect lips softly into mine, before pulling away from me ever so slightly, allowing his lips to hover a mere fraction of an inch from mine, so close that I could feel his breath across my lips as he whispered.

"Forever and always."


	19. Chapter 19

The mood of the campus seemed to have completely changed just over the short span of the weekend. The once vibrant colors of autumn had begun to shrivel, as browns replaced the once striking golds, oranges and reds that had filled the trees, deadening the cheerful atmosphere to one of foreboding. Winter was clearly on its way into the city as the cool and refreshing air had turned bitterly cold overnight, and the warm blue skies of fall had given way to the tumultuous grey overcast skies of frigid winter. The air itself seemed to burn my cheeks and the wind cut me like a knife through my pea coat as I crossed the campus that afternoon. The world about me had been completely sucked dry of color, with the exception of the glorious man who walked beside me, his eyes penetrating me with a warmth reminiscent of fall, his arm wrapped firmly about my waist.

I didn't know if it was simply the certain doom of our situation, but I couldn't help but feel the grip of anxiety tightening around my throat, crushing relentlessly against my chest as I walked with Edward publicly across the crowded pathways of campus. It felt as though his arm around me was causing a spectacle, as even though the entire school had already seen the headline of the tabloids that were splashed across campus early that morning, none of them had yet seen us in person. I could hear the whispered voices murmuring as we passed them, their inquisitive gazes tracing us down every pathway, and around every corner. I couldn't help but feel apprehensive about their stares and their gossiping words, no matter how badly I wished to push the fear from my mind. I could not help but feel that their voices were an inauspicious omen of the events that were about to unfold before us. It felt almost as though the world about us had transformed, not because of the gloomy skies, or uncomfortably frigid air, but simply because our secret had been exposed to the world. It was as though that simple fact was the catalyst to the new oppressive atmosphere of Lakefront University. It was almost as though we were but two starving animals, struggling to walk our last steps towards the watering hole as the vultures circled high above us in the dark swirling clouds, simply waiting for us to keel over so that they could at long last enjoy their feast. But what exactly was the feast that they sought? Our destruction, our failure? What exactly would define that failure? Would it be enough for them simply to take away everything that we had in the world: our futures, our schooling and potentially our careers, or would they seek the ultimate prize? After all, as it had occurred to me once before, love was but a fragile, tenuous flame that could be easily snuffed out in but a moment's notice. It was almost as though we were a pair of foxes that were about to be chased through the woods by hunters, with their dogs, cages and guns. In that scenario, in our scenario, when were faced with such a certain, and unavoidably grim demise, what else was there left for the two of us to do. My mind could reach only one conclusion. We could run.

I stopped on the sidewalk before the medical building, halting in my tracks as I reached the conclusion that caused me to have a sudden change of heart. Edward turned to appraise me, his expression becoming suddenly inquisitive. He looked unbelievably striking against the cold, desaturated sky, wearing the black leather jacket that looked ever so appealing on him, and a fleece scarf of blue, which looked striking against the flaming golden color of his eyes.

"Bella, are you alright?" he asked, his brows creased together with concern. I could not meet his gaze, instead staring blankly at the brown of the woods that lay across the lawn from the medical building, imagining the incredible feeling of fleeing from this dreadful place with Edward. The possibilities were entirely endless. They would never be able to find us, to punish us, to drag us before the world publically for our figurative executions. We could be fugitives. We could flee. I could still save him.

"It doesn't have to be this way," I whispered softly. The mist of my breath floated slowly away from me like a swirling cloud in the frigid, motionless air. Edward gazed at me with what appeared to be an unsettled expression; though I could not be certain, as I could only see him in my periphery.

"I'm – not sure I understand," he said with dubious uncertainty.

"We don't have to walk through those doors," I said softly, turning to face him, looking beseechingly into the golden depths of his eyes. His concern was apparent in his gaze.

"Don't you see?" I began fervently, "If we are going to lose everything anyways, then why does it have to be such a public spectacle? We don't have to stay here Edward. We could run away, far away from here – together; just you and me. Somewhere that we could start over, that we wouldn't be treated as such an exhibition," I said wildly. His expression seemed to turn somewhat pensive, and I could see the idea turning over in his mind.

"Edward, I know places where we would never be found: Phoenix, or perhaps Forks, or even somewhere entirely new. Renee lived in Florida once and she seemed to like it. The point is, I know places that we can hide, places that we would be free from all of this, places where you would be safe, places that you wouldn't have to be ashamed," I concluded in a hushed tone. He gazed gently downward at me, his eyes filling me with the long lost warmth of the summer sun, as he raised his hand gently to my arm, guiding me closer to him until he had pulled me into his wondrous embrace. My numb cheek pressed entirely against the leather of his jacket. I could hear him sigh deeply in thought.

"Bella," he practically whispered, "I have never been ashamed to be with you, and I certainly don't intend to start being ashamed now," he said, planting his lips gently into my hair.

"I understand what you are trying to do, but I also understand that you are intelligent enough to know that running from our problems will not do us any good in the long term. You know that you were right when you suggested this course of action. We have to face this head on, reputations be damned. I don't need to run away from this Bella, not as long as you plan to still be by my side when this is over," he said softly into the recesses of my hair. I pulled myself closer into him, pressing the entire length of my body into his. I exhaled deeply.

"Forever and always," I replied in a whisper. We stood in that manner for an immeasurable amount of time, feeling content to allow the rest of the world pass us by in an indistinct blur, not bothering to hear their whispers, or feel their stares. Edward was correct, and I felt my resolve return. We would face this head on together, and not fear the judgement of the rest of the world. After all, the turn of events that lay ahead of us did not concern those who would judge us, but rather only ourselves. The whispers and murmurs that surrounded us were irrelevant, for other people would only seek to bring us down if we had been capable of flying high to begin with. I was certainly aware that the stakes were incredibly high as we navigated the rough and turbulent waters ahead, but none of it would be able to touch me, to touch us, because this love was ours, not anyone else's, and they would never be able to take that away from us.

I inhaled deeply, allowing the freezing air to torch the dryness of my throat, and pulled back from him slightly, meeting his gaze with my newfound determination. I nodded discreetly in his direction. He inhaled deeply before releasing a powerful sigh, his eyes meeting mine with tender apprehension.

"Shall we get this over with?" he asked with a cheerless smirk. I paused momentarily, closing my eyes and allowing myself to entirely feel my surroundings in the moment, for I had the distinct feeling that nothing would ever feel quite this exact way ever again. I felt the cold air biting my face, the sound of feet moving about us too and fro, the warmth of Edward's arms across my waist, the smell of the heaters that filled the air, and the boundless power of the affection that filled every corner of my being, the power that bound me to him with magnetic force, that sang to me in the silence. I absorbed every detail, committing all of it to memory, before I exhaled, releasing myself to the present, and preparing to face my future.

"I suppose so," I huffed gently at him, shooting him an encouraging smile. He stared back down at me warmly, before leaning in towards me and placing his lips gently against mine. The air around me felt all at once warmer, as though the sun had suddenly broken through the clouds to grace me with its golden rays. Upon pulling back from my lips, he released me from his embrace, and offered me his hand, which I took without hesitation. We turned slowly to face the suddenly unpropitious front of the medical building before us. I took a deep breath, and began to walk through the door of the building with Edward, hand in hand.

The air may have physically been warmer within the glass hallways of the medical building, its towering archways may have been bathed in warm light, but the atmosphere still felt deathly cold. We walked the length of the main corridor before entering the door to the Administration section of the building. The wooden walls that I once found to be so warm, decorative, and inviting now seemed to be almost claustrophobic about us. The secretary behind the desk gestured for the two of us to have a seat, clearly already understanding the reason that we were there. I turned towards the green chairs that lined the wooden walls of the office and had to stifle a sudden gasp, for waiting patiently in the corner was Angela. I was utterly stunned to see here sitting before me, and my already overwhelming apprehension exploded within me as I found myself terrified that in some way I had managed to harm Angela as well.

"Angela?" I blurted out in shock.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my expression practically frantic. She stood quietly from her chair and threw her small arms about my frame, embracing me gently.

"Alice told me what you and Edward planned to do. There was absolutely no way that I could let the two of you face something like this alone," she said softly, releasing me from her embrace. I could feel the smile melt across my face, and the warm moisture build behind the already nearly uncontainable tension in my eyes as Angela's kindness penetrated my heart. She was one of the most considerate and empathetic people I had ever had the honor of knowing. She was a woman who was unparalleled in her generosity, and I knew with certainty that I would never be able to repay her for the warmth she had bestowed upon me so frequently in my time at Lakefront. I would be forever in her debt. She turned towards Edward, throwing her arms far above her to reach his towering shoulders, and he laid his hand gently across her back.

"Angela, you have no idea what this means to me, and of course I appreciate this immensely, but surely you must have some other way to spend your morning?" he asked, his expression painted with concerned gratitude. She smiled reassuringly upwards at him.

"I have nothing to do that is more paramount than supporting two of the most important people in my life," she said warmly. I saw something in Edward's expression change briefly, and I knew that he felt as I did: that Angela was a person that he would be forever indebted to for her kindness and support, and that he would do whatever he could to assist her in the future. I was certain that with resources such as his and Alice's, he would eventually be able to help her in some way or another. I felt contentment in that thought.

I spotted the streak of Carlisle's blonde hair rounding the corner into the room before Edward and Angela did.

"Carlisle?" I exclaimed, dread suddenly making itself apparent in my voice as it's frigid claws raked their way across my body. It was in that moment that I first realized that my actions would have far deeper repercussions than what I had previously anticipated, for it was not only Edward and I who were in jeopardy in this situation, but also Carlisle himself, as dean of Internal Medicine.

"Carlisle, I'm so sorry I should have thought about how all of this would affect you as well. I…" I began as rapidly as I could, but he held a hand up calmly before me, a warm smile gracing his flawless features.

"Don't fret Bella; you haven't caused me any strife. It appears that luckily, in my position, I am beyond reproach for a transgression as minor as this, seeing as how I was not directly involved," he said, resting a calming hand upon my shoulder.

"I have however, dismissed myself from the board in this particular instance due to my obvious conflict of interest. Therefore, I regret to inform you that I will not be able to affect the decision on your behalf. I truly hope that the board rules as impartially as possible. I believe that everyone deserves a second chance. I wish you luck son, and you as well Bella," he said, glancing between us warmly. Edward stared back at his father intently, before stepping forward to embrace him fully. I could see how deeply Edward cared for his father, and for the first time I realized that he too had been fearful of disgracing him. I was happy to see that at least one person today would not be consumed by the flames of my wretched actions.

"Bella, I believe they'd like to begin with you," Carlisle said.

"Don't be afraid, they simply wish to ask you a few questions. It's perfectly safe. Be as candid as you think is wise," he said, nodding his head at me, and I understood his instructions instantly, and judging by the look upon his face, so did Edward. Tell them only what could absolutely be confirmed by the evidence, and nothing else. It would give them less to base their judgement upon. It was an intelligent move, like in a game of poker. If we were good enough at our bluff, perhaps they would not call us on it. I embraced Edward one final time, feeling the comfort of his embrace wrap it's way about me. Inhaling deeply, I pulled myself from his tender embrace, attempting to calm my pounding heart, and shot a brief smile at both Carlisle and Angela, before I followed the secretary's instructions and proceeded through a large wooden paneled door into a grand chamber. The chamber was tall, and the walls paneled entirely with dark wood, possibly mahogany, and the entirety of the room seemed both incredibly old and unimaginably ornate. There was a large table across the back wall, behind which five chairs sat. The center one, beneath which was a plaque that read _Dr. Carlisle Cullen_ , sat vacant. The other four chairs were occupied by the men and women that I could only assume would be deciding my fate.

"Ms. Swan, thank you for coming before us today," said a tall, blonde woman, who appeared to be both stern, yet beneath her professional exterior, kind hearted, as was indicated by her prominent smile lines. The plaque that rested before her read _Dr. Murphy._

"Of course Doctor Murphy," I replied timidly. I glanced at her face once more and saw that she seemed to have difficulty containing her expressions. I knew instantly that she would be the main source of my observations.

"Please, take a seat," she said, waving to the empty chair in the center of the room. I glanced at it uncomfortably, feeling my heart begin to accelerate at the mere thought of the inquisition that stood before me. I sat down, trying my best not to begin sweating in my anxious state. I focused on calming my breathing, on the feeling of the fabric beneath my fingertips, on the sound of the air conditioning vent rattling somewhere in the ceiling. I inhaled deeply.

"Now Ms. Swan, I'm sure you are aware that you are here today to discuss the nature of your relationship with Mister Edward Cullen," she stated in a manner that almost made it sound as though it were a question. I nodded briefly.

"Very well. I believe I'd like to begin by asking you to describe the nature of your relationship with Mister Cullen, if you could?" she asked. I remained silent, wishing to only answer in as few words as I could. The way she had phrased her question was not conducive to that strategy, and so I racked my brain for a way that I could rephrase it.

"I'm afraid I'm not exactly sure what you are inquiring," I responded respectfully. Doctor Murphy shot me a skeptical glance.

"I believe that what Doctor Murphy means to ask is what type of relationship you would consider Mister Cullen and yourself to share," clarified a tall man with salt and pepper hair, whose nameplate read _Dr. Meyer._ I considered his inquiry for a moment, turning over in my head what I should say, and seeing no way out of what I must tell them. Honesty, I reminded myself, just not too much honesty.

"I would define it as…" I paused as the word caught violently in my throat. I forced it out in almost a wheeze. "… romantic." The doctors all seemed to glance at one another, as if they had not expected such candidness from me.

"I see," responded a short female doctor on the other end of the row from Doctor Meyer. She had her beautiful light brown hair in a bun, and her face was exquisitely beautiful, even adorned with glasses. Her nameplate read _Dr. McGuire._

"Miss Swan…" Doctor McGuire continued, "At what point in time did your relationship with Mister Cullen first become romantic?" she asked, her eyes narrow and observant. I felt the gears of my mind grind to a halt. What was I to tell them? What _could_ I tell them? I knew that publicly our relationship had only been revealed merely days ago, but we had secretly been together for far longer than that. How honest should I be in such an instance? I decided simply to be as unspecific as possible.

"Um – not really all that long ago," I answered vaguely. Doctor McGuire's eyes narrowed at me, and I could tell merely from her gaze that her intuition was just as sharp as Edward's. She was instantly aware that I was avoiding her question, and I felt my throat tighten even further, threatening to suffocate me. I tried my hardest not to pant. I looked back at Doctor Murphy, who had either not noticed my omission, or simply didn't deem it to be of importance.

"Miss Swan, at any time during the period when your professional relationship and personal relationship overlapped with Mister Cullen, did you feel as though you received any special treatment from him? A better grade, or leniency on an assignment perhaps?" Doctor Murphy asked, observing me carefully. I could still feel Doctor McGuire's penetrating gaze honing in on me, but she would get nothing from me as my response was both entirely sincere, and came with no hesitation.

"No, never. Edward would never do such a thing," I declared insistently.

"Did you ever at any time request, or expect that he may do such a thing if you stayed around him long enough?" Doctor McGuire asked with an insinuating tone. I couldn't hold back the wave of passion that flooded from me.

"No! I was never with him because I wanted special favors, or money, or social status or anything else that he would _ever_ be able to give me," I said, my breathing heavy.

"I'm with him, because he is the single most incredible man that I have ever met. None of those other things matter," I said, ending practically in a whisper. The four pairs of eyes stared at me intently, as though sizing up the honesty of my sudden outpouring of emotion.

"Doctor Watkins, do you have anything to add?" Doctor Murphy asked of the woman who sat at the far end of the table from her. Her beautiful brown hair was cut short, and masculine, perfectly complimenting her vest and bowtie. She looked at me with a neutral expression, and shook her head once from side to side.

"Well then Miss Swan, you are free to return to the waiting area. We will call you back into the chamber when we have made a decision," she said, the kindness breaking through her expression ever so slightly. I exhaled deeply, truly breathing for the first time since I had set foot in the chamber.

"Thank you," I said with a quick nod before walking as quickly out the back of the chamber as my unsteady feet would carry me. I reemerged into the waiting area to see both Edward's and Angela's concerned expressions staring upwards at me. Edward was by my side in a flash, his hand resting upon my cheek, staring deeply at me with his golden gaze.

"Bella, are you alright?" he whispered, worry coloring his expression.

"Yes," I whispered softly back at him, my breathing still rapid and shallow.

"How did it go?" he asked me, his voice tight with concern.

"Fine really. I was honest, but – vague on a lot of details," I admitted. I glared up at him, wishing that I could shield him from the room that I had just exited, and knowing that I was powerless to do so.

"Mister Cullen, they are ready for you," the secretary said in far too cheerful of a tone. I exhaled powerfully.

"Tell them whatever you need to," I whispered fervently, "I'll be waiting for you." I leaned up quickly to kiss the flawless skin of his cheek, and his hand dropped from my face as he glided through the doors behind me, looking over his shoulder at me with his piercing eyes, tenderness painted across his expression, before he turned and stared through the doors before him, his face as immobile and unreadable as stone. I turned my gaze away from the doors to see Angela still gazing upwards at me expectantly. I made my way across the room to her before taking the seat on her left hand side. I felt the hand that gripped my chest suddenly tighten about me, threatening to strangle me as I collapsed into the chair, allowing my head to fall into my hands, pressing against my face as though I would be able to hold back the immense pressures of my own thoughts. Angela laid her hand gently on my back, patting me comfortingly. I sat quietly for several moments, trying to dispel the wretchedness of my own anxiety from my mind, concentrating on breathing deeply, focusing intently on absorbing every minute detail of my surroundings, until I again became capable of clear and cognoscente thought. A query made its way from my lips instantaneously as it came to my mind.

"Where did Carlisle go?" I asked breathlessly. Angela leaned over towards me trying to make eye contact, although the hands concealing my face made it difficult for her to do so.

"He had a class to teach, but he said he will try to be back in time to receive the verdict," she said softly to me, trying her best to calm me. It seemed to be working, as her pacifying demeanor was helping me to be able to breath. I nodded gently, removing my face from my hands at long last. She gazed at me with a heartwarming smile.

"There you go Bella," she said with a smile.

"You are so strong. You should know that. Not many people would be willing to stand up to something like this, but here you are," she said. I stared at her for a moment, allowing her words to fill my thoughts.

"I'm not sure that it constitutes strength if I feel so entirely on the edge of falling apart," I admitted feebly.

"On the contrary," she said warmly.

"You had the courage to stand up for yourself, for what you believe is right. You are taking a stand for love. Certainly it comes with a token of anxiety and discomfort, but those things are the admission price to a meaningful life. If we never experience hardship, how can happiness feel grand in comparison?" she asked me. I stared at her wide eyed, awed by her philosophical prowess. Perhaps she was correct. Perhaps without hardship, the more joyful times that I had spent with Edward would feel less significant. Perhaps the austerity of our current situation simply existed so that I was more appreciative of the incredible gift that I had in him. I felt the slight semblance of a smile spread across my face and I turned to look at Angela with gratitude.

"Thank you – for being here – and for being my friend," I said softly, with as much earnestness as I could muster through my tension.

"The honor is entirely mine," she replied sincerely. I sat with her for a long while in warm and comfortable silence, something that I appreciated about Angela. She did not feel uncomfortable with her own thoughts.

After an immeasurable amount of time, the wooden door creaked open, and Edward appeared, walking forward through the doorway as though he were a convict walking the corridors of death row. His face was grave, as though he had been carrying hundreds of pounds of weight on his back for hours. He strode across the room and sat down noiselessly beside me. I looked up at him, not bothering to attempt to mask my excessive concern for him. He glanced down at me, his gaze warming upon meeting mine, and he moved his arm around my waist pulling me against his side, as I lowered my head onto his shoulder. He too was comfortable with silence. The three of us sat in that manner for an immeasurable quantity of time, as Edward and I awaited the fate that would surely be handed to us momentarily. But time continued to pass without a visible end in sight, and with each passing minute my apprehension grew more and more pronounced. The door to the waiting area chimed with the ringing of a bell, as Alice's worried face darted through the door and walked to Edward's other side.

"Has there been a verdict yet?" she asked, her voice weighted with gravitas. Edward shook his head lethargically from side to side. She glanced downward at her hands before looking over at me softly, seeing the worry spelled out across my face. Her eyes landed upon Angela as well, smiling at her gently, knowing as well as Edward and myself that Angela was a good and pure person, who deserved so much more than life gave to her.

"Well, Jasper and Emmett are waiting outside if you need them," she whispered. Edward did not acknowledge her other than with a brief nod.

"Thank you so much for being here for Bella and my brother, Angela. It means more to me than you know," Alice said kindly. Angela smiled back at her with compassion, before an errant thought suddenly plowed its way across her features and a question erupted from her lips.

"Bella? Did you ever figure out what to write your human interest piece on?" Angela asked, clearly trying to distract me from my misery. Unfortunately I had not figured out what to write my piece about, and seeing as how I had only a few days left to do so, I felt overcome with an even more substantiated feeling of dread. Not only was I about to meet my certain demise from the hands a class that I didn't even want to take, but now I was about to lose the greatest opportunity that I had ever been presented in a class that I wished to turn into my career. I truly was condemned to certain destruction.

"No, not in the slightest," I mumbled. Angela looked disheartened.

"Why don't you just write about the downfall of Edward Cullen," Edward suggested dryly, for he too knew of my predicament with the assignment.

"Now that its public knowledge, I'm sure the scourge of this school would love to read about the demise of the arrogant rich guy," he said, his tone completely and utterly defeated. I felt my chest hitch and Alice began to stroke his free arm. I sighed, knowing better than to waste my limited energy fighting him when his mind was in such a state.

The stillness of the room was broken by the sound of footsteps coming down the long hallway. I raised my head off of Edwards shoulder to see Carlisle enter the room lithely, his expression entirely blank. Edward met his deadened expression with disinterest.

"They are ready for you," Carlisle said softly to the four of us sitting in the lobby. Angela looked at me with apprehension, and Alice lightly tapped her brother on the shoulder. I stood from where I sat, feeling the weight of hundreds of pounds of water crashing into me from all sides. I glanced up at Edward, focusing on the magnificence of his face to guide myself through the fog, and he looked downward at me with the blazing glory of his eyes, staring at me as though he had never before seen the light of day, and was for the first time watching the crimson rays of the sun crest the horizon. I suddenly felt his hand gently grasping at mine, and I intertwined my fingers with his. He inhaled deeply, as did I, before we both began to stride forward towards the doors that separated us from our fate, ready to face whatever the future may hold, together.


	20. Chapter 20

We entered the familiar room with its high paneled wooden walls, to see the four doctors already in their seats waiting for us. Several of their eyes darted to our connected hands, seemingly taking in the interaction, perhaps using it as additional consideration for whatever verdict they may have chosen to hand down to us.

"Mister Cullen, we would like to speak with Miss Swan first," Doctor McGuire began, "If you would please take your leave…"

"He can stay," I interrupted her, and she turned her black glare in my direction, willing me into submission. Little did she know that she could not break me. None of them could, for I was ready to stand beside him and accept whatever fate they would bring down upon me. Keeping him with me would cause them to punish me no worse than they already intended to, and even if it would increase the severity of my damnation, so be it.

"Very well," Doctor Murphy said with brevity.

"Miss Swan, it is of the opinion of the board of directors that you have broken no binding rules of the College of Medicine, although it is of the opinion of certain board members that perhaps you should reconsider the ethics of some of your decisions. You are free to go," she concluded before suddenly holding her finger upwards towards me.

"However, we do ask that you please try to use more caution in the future should you ever again partake in such behavior," she said, her expression stern. I stared back at her, my eyes frozen open in bewilderment. Despite all of the transgressions which I had knowingly committed, for in the face of beauty as inconceivable as Edward's how could I not commit such transgressions, I had somehow still managed to escape conviction. I glanced upwards at Edward, who smiled down at me warmly, clearly pleased that they had decided not to bestow any punishment upon me. I smiled back at him tenderly before I felt my face once again begin to be pulled down by the gravity of the situation before us. We were after all, only half way in the clear as of yet.

"I don't foresee ever finding myself in this situation again Doctor Murphy, but I appreciate your warning," I said turning my gaze to face her. Her expression melted slightly behind her professionalism, and I felt certain that she knew that my intentions were pure, before she turned to face Edward.

"As for you Mister Cullen," she began, her expression turning more solemn, "although we found no evidence of nepotism in either yours or Miss Swan's testimony, I am afraid that there was no denial of your blatant violation of the College of Internal Medicine's student fraternization policy, and unfortunately, we must deal with it according to our bylaws. It is with deep regret that I inform you, that effective immediately, you will be removed from your position as a teaching assistant, and that I must place you on a restrictive rehiring into such a position for the following six months," she said, her voice projecting outwards into the stillness of the air as both Edward's and my very breathing seemed to cease entirely.

"We will also be issuing a formal warning of discipline into your student file that will be active for the following eighteen months. I am required to remind you that if you accumulate two more warnings within that eighteen month period, you will be brought before us for disciplinary review and possible expulsion from the College of Internal Medicine. Do you understand these consequences Mister Cullen?" Doctor Murphy asked of him, her expression strict. I stood frozen, gazing at the four faces before me as I felt myself begin to deflate, inching closer towards my inevitable collapse. I may have escaped sanction, but my reckless actions had cost Edward dearly, the man for whom I would do anything if it would protect him. It was a crime that in my opinion was inexcusable. I was a monster. Edward was staring at Doctor Murphy with wide eyes, as though he were unable to process what she had just dictated to him. I stared up at him, prompting him to respond with my ever widening eyes, feeling the pit of my stomach plummet to my feet as I reeled in my culpability.

"I understand," he responded, his expression frozen with bewilderment. Doctor Murphy's expression softened ever so slightly as she gazed down upon him. I supposed that it was entirely possible that on some level she empathized with him, and had only handed down such a conviction because it was required of her. I gathered, based upon her expression, that she took no joy in doing so.

"Then the both of you may take your leave, and we shall hope that none of our paths ever cross in this manner again," She added softly.

"Indeed," Edward responded, nodding at her blankly, before wrapping his hand about my waist and guiding me quickly towards the double doors at the back of the room. We emerged into the waiting room, to see the anxious faces of Alice, Angela, and Carlisle staring us down with trepidation. It took every ounce of my remaining strength to look at them, knowing that my actions had just condemned Edward. They would see me for the monster that I was.

"Well – What did they say?" Alice finally asked after a moment of utter stillness. Edward stared at her entirely unresponsive, a blank stare of bewilderment frozen across his face. I glanced up at him in concern, wondering if perhaps he had taken the news worse than I had originally thought. Perhaps he was distraught to the point of speechlessness.

"Edward?" Alice inquired gently, stepping towards him.

"Son – what happened?" Carlisle asked him, concern painting his expression. Edwards's eyes darted between the two of them, his expression still frozen in place.

"They – they didn't expel me," he said so softly that it almost seemed that he was talking to himself. Alice and Carlisle continued to stare at him expectantly as they watched him slowly begin to process the thoughts which were clearly racing through his mind.

"They didn't even come close to expelling me," he said, a breathtaking smile suddenly splashing across his previously bewildered expression. I felt my eyes widen as I took in his bizarre expression.

"They fired me obviously, and I'm on restrictive rehire for the next six months, and they put a letter in my student file, but otherwise they did absolutely nothing," he said, grinning jubilantly. "They did nothing," he practically shouted.

"Edward that's incredible," Alice responded, seemingly in awe. "That's – that's amazing," she said, darting forwards towards her brother, embracing him powerfully. He scooped her upwards off of the ground, twirling her in a grand circle, as he began laughing almost ecstatically. He placed her back on her feet, and glanced upwards at Carlisle, who was smiling at his son, his expression one of contentment.

"That is indeed incredible news son," he said, wrapping a hand around Edward's back to embrace him. Edward had not stopped laughing, at this point sounding nearly maniacal. I glanced upward at him, questions swimming in my eyes as I felt my puzzlement grind my thoughts to a halt. He glanced back downwards at me with one of the most jovial expressions I had ever seen on his face. I did not understand his reaction in the slightest. I supposed it was entirely possible that the stress of the day had caused him to lose his sanity.

"I'm – confused?" I admitted to him, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"About what?" he asked, smiling brilliantly with insouciant excitement.

"Edward – you just got _fired,_ " I reminded him bleakly. I shook my head back and forth, wholly unable to understand why he appeared to be so exuberant in the face of the consequences that had befallen him, consequences for the atrocities that _I_ had committed.

"It doesn't matter," he replied nonchalantly, grinning ear to ear. I stared at him with measured perplexity, before turning to face Alice, Angela, and Carlisle.

"Could one of you please translate?" I asked, completely bemused. I had only just began to see Angela shrug her shoulders with nearly as much confusion as myself when I felt Edward's hands land firmly on my shoulders, spinning me back to face the power of his overwhelming, ebullient eyes.

"Bella – It doesn't matter. I don't care in the slightest that I lost my job. Do you honestly not understand why?" he asked me, his expression mirroring my own perplexity. I shook my head gently back and forth, for I truly did not comprehend how he could possibly view this as a positive thing.

"Bella – not only will I still graduate - will I still become a surgeon - but at this very moment I am free to walk through that door and shout to the entire school that you are the single most enchanting, incredible woman that I have ever laid eyes on, with absolutely no consequences. That is a better resolution than I ever thought possible, and losing my job for that freedom..." he paused momentarily, becoming briefly pensive, "...that is a small price to pay." I couldn't help the warmth that filled my heart, that spilled freely across my face in my smile. It was clearly written about his expression. This was no punishment to him. This was a gift. I was not a monster, not in his eyes at the very least. The sound of someone clearing their throat suddenly filled the room, and I spun about to see Carlisle holding his finger in the air as though to interject with a comment.

"Edward, as the dean of this college you know I cannot condone shouting in the hallways," he said, the jaunty edge of a smirk tugging at his expression. The room filled with laughter, and for the first time since I had first laid eyes on Edward, I felt as though I were truly free, as though I were able to soar as high as I saw fit, with no weights about my wings to hold me to the earth. We were truly free to be ourselves, to be together, to be enamored with one another, or at the very least, I was free to be openly and publicly enamored with him. I was still, as of yet, unsure of what the depth of Edward's feelings might be towards me, but as for myself, I was entirely certain that every fiber of my being was irrevocably in love with him. I stared upwards at his flawless face, and he placed his arm casually about my waist.

"Shall we tell Jasper and Emmett the good news?" he asked, his voice practically vibrating with enthusiasm.

"I'm afraid that I have another class to attend at the moment," Carlisle responded politely, "but I could not be happier for you son - for either of you," he said with a kind smile.

"Just remember Edward - soon," Carlisle said, a stern edge decorating the smooth texture of his voice. I did not need any additional explanation to know that he was referring to whatever unknown secret it was that connected the concealed knife to the assiduously hidden safe. I did not allow myself to dwell upon it in the moment, for I could not allow myself to become once again consumed by doubt and fear so soon after I had been given the gift of openly being with Edward whenever I wished. I filed the thought away for a later time when I would finally develop the courage to inquire about the oddities he was concealing from me.

Edward nodded to Carlisle as his father took his leave of us, proceeding further into the depths of the office. We followed Alice as she strode lithely in the direction of the door, leading us out into the bright glass hallways of the medical building. There, sitting on a bench against the wall of glass, was her fiancé Jasper. Of course, none of the students walking the halls knew that he was her fiancé, and many of them almost seemed intimidated by his stature, or perhaps they were intimidated more so by the man who sat beside him. I had never met him before, but I instantly knew who he was, or at least, that he was Edward's direct family, as he shared the same brilliant golden eyes. If it weren't for that single trait, I never would have known that the two men were related. This man was tall and built in an incredibly muscular fashion, as though he were a human tank. His short dark brown hair created an incredible juxtaposition against his almost ivory skin, and overall he had an incredibly formidable appearance. He rose from the bench that he was lounging upon, with Jasper following only moments later. I watched the two men as they approached us, and noted that side by side they were certainly an intimidating pair. Alice glided ahead of us towards Jasper and the man that I did not know.

"It's alright," she began, a gentle smile gracing her features.

"Edward wasn't expelled, only fired!" she said with a demeanor that I still felt was far too cheerful for delivering the news of a person's recent unemployment. Jasper glanced downward at her with apparent unease.

"What about Bella?" Jasper asked with an edge of anxiety in his voice. I glanced up at Jasper, allowing a smile to spill widely across my face.

"They deemed that I had done nothing wrong. No punishment at all," I said grinning from ear to ear.

"Wait? _This_ is Bella," said the unknown man in a deep husky voice, though it still hung with a smoothness akin to that of Alice's or Edward's. He glared at Edward with an expression of amazement though I could not begin to fathom why. Edward too seemed rather confused by the man's reaction, giving him a quick hesitant nod.

"But – she's gorgeous," the man blurted out in a tone that sounded almost as though he hadn't expected that to be the case. Edward's eyes widened notably as he quickly glanced downward at me, snapping his eyes almost immediately back up to the stranger. I cocked an eyebrow, my eyes darting between the two of them.

"Um – thanks?" I said hesitantly towards the stranger, attempting to figure out whether or not I should be insulted by his strangely denigrating tone.

"Oh, don't get me wrong…" he began, speaking to me for the first time, "… it's a good thing. But you are totally out of Edward's league," He said, smirking at me with a playful, light hearted grin, one that was eerily reminiscent of Edward's own crooked grin. I felt my eyes widen as I absorbed what the man had said to me, and without warning I felt the sharp jolting of laughter erupt from my own lips. Edward looked at with a befuddled expression.

"Me – out of his…" I waved my finger in the direction of Edward as I found myself utterly unable to finish my sentence through the waves of boisterous laughter that rolled through me. I glanced back upwards at Edward, attempting to contain my sudden outburst, waving my hand towards the unknown man before me attempting to convey my many queries as best as I could through my expression, as I was entirely unable to speak as the absurdity of the man's statement rolled through my mind. I could see by the sudden sparkle in Edward's eyes that he understood what I desired.

"Bella…" Edward began, taking my hand gently in his, before glancing over his shoulder in Angela's direction, who had been quietly observing our entire exchange.

"… Angela – this is my older brother Emmett. He is the assistant head of Athletics here at Lakefront and one of the Assistant coaches of the football team," he said, glancing back at me to meet my inquisitive gaze, though I was still attempting to shake the last remnants of laughter from my system.

"I also feel that I must apologize in advance for his – forthright nature," Edward added, shooting a playful glare at his older brother. Their kinship should have been obvious to me from the start solely based on the similarities of their facial structures, and their mannerisms, though Emmett was certainly much more brawny than Edward, though he seemed to lack much of Edward's and Alice's refinement. I briefly recalled Emmett having been mentioned when I had been introduced to Edward's friend Aaron Coin at Halloween, as he had mentioned that Aaron played football for his brother. I felt realization wash through me instantly, helping to pacify my laughter.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," I said, a timid smile gracing my features as I extended my hand forwards towards Emmett. He took a rapid step towards me, passing directly by my extended hand, and wrapped one of his massive arms about my back, pulling me to him in a crushing embrace. I felt all of the air in my lungs flood out of my body as I was caught in the immense power of his embrace, and upon him releasing me, I gasped to refill my lungs with air, bending myself forward, resting my hands upon my knees as I focused on breathing as steadily as I could.

"Good lord, don't hurt her Emmett," I heard Edward exclaim, an edge of appalled chastisement apparent in in his voice. Edward appeared before me, squatting by my side in a flash as the depths of his glorious golden eyes burned upward at me fretfully. I smiled down at him through my slight wheezing, a small chuckle erupting from my lips at the absurd circumstances for his concern. Upon hearing me chuckle his expression began to soften, and the edges of his lips turned up in a smirk.

"He's just - stronger than you," I admitted timidly. Emmett let forth a loud bellowing laugh. Edward shook his head ever so slightly back and forth, his smirk becoming far more pronounced.

"I'm simply far more careful with you than Emmett ever will be," he said, nodding warmly in my direction, his golden eyes ensnaring me momentarily, before he abruptly stood upright, offering me his hand. I grasped his palm and he pulled me effortlessly back upwards to a standing position. I inhaled the warm, clean air of the medical building, allowing it to wash every remnant of the anxious discomfort of the morning from my system. I felt truly lighter, and perhaps even a tad triumphant. I gazed around at the faces of my friends, at his family, all of whom now seemed truly at ease and full of hopeful optimism. I felt overwhelmingly appreciative of every single one of them and allowed a blissful smile to creep across my features. Edward glanced down at me, an expression of warmth and tenderness painted across his flawless features. I leaned inwards towards him and he wrapped his arm ever so delicately about my waist, leaning his head downward to plant a gentle kiss upon the top of my head. Without any precursor, Alice's eyes suddenly jolted open widely with animated excitement, as her eyes darted about amongst us.

"What are we still doing here?" she asked us rhetorically, a brilliant smile lighting her stunning face.

"This calls for celebration! We are all going out tonight and I simply will not accept no as an answer!" she said enthusiastically. Edward nodded his head pensively, before perking his eyebrows in agreement, as Jasper and Emmett both nodded their heads in concurrence. I had to admit, while the idea of public celebration did not typically appeal to me, upon such a joyous occasion I simply could not resist such an opportunity. It felt like the first time in months that I finally had a valid reason to celebrate, and I vowed that I would not squander the opportunity. I also accepted that as a bonus for going along with Alice's plans, I would be granted the opportunity to spend my entire evening with Edward, an occurrence that I would never willingly repudiate.

"It's settled then," Alice said, positively beaming.

"We can all head back to the house and prepare for the evening," she said assertively, bouncing ever so slightly in place with excitement. Everyone within our circle seemed to know that Alice reveled in any opportunity to plan a masterpiece of an evening. Edward cleared his throat quietly, instantly drawing her gaze towards him.

"As much as I wish never to be the one to point out the flaws in your plans…" Edward began.

"You love to point out the flaws in my plans," Alice said, raising an eyebrow at him defiantly.

"... I believe that Bella and Angela have a class to attend very shortly," Edward said, glancing downward at me with a soft, apologetic smile. Instantaneously, I felt the uplifting nature of my attitude deflate like a leaking balloon as I realized that I did indeed have a class starting in less than twenty minutes time, a class that took place within the very same building, a class that would never again have the same meaning to me, a class that would no longer serve any purpose for me at all, but rather would simply exist: Biology. I sighed heavily at my realization, knowing that no longer would I be able to steal glances at his beauty to pass the time as Professor Banner prattled on about topics in which I had no interest whatsoever. No longer would I ever see his subtle smile when he called my name, or feel my heart flutter beneath his gaze. No longer would I count down the minutes until I could return to that room simply to see him once again. No, I no longer cared if I attended biology.

"Oh, right – Biology. I mean, given the circumstances I think it would be ok if just this once…" I began, but the intensity of Edwards gaze cut me off.

"Bella, your education is very important," he began, his expression far too soft to be even the slightest bit reproving.

"We will have plenty of time to celebrate this evening. You should go to class. Besides, you wouldn't want to leave Angela high and dry now would you?" he said, the corner of his lips turning upwards in playful simper. My eyes darted towards Angela, whose warm smile stared back at me, and I knew the truth of his words. I could not abandon her, not after everything that she had done for me over the time I had known her. I owed this to her, and I supposed, possibly somewhere deep in the recesses of my mind, I knew that Edward was inherently correct. My education was important. I exhaled in exasperation, my mind full of reluctance.

"Fine, I'll go to class," I conceded, glancing back up at Edward, wishing wholeheartedly that I would simply be able to stay with him instead of returning to the classroom that had been the entire reason we had almost been torn apart, though I supposed on a different note it had been the very reason I had been given the opportunity to be in his life to begin with. I suppose the least I could do would be to accompany Angela and hope that it would in some way appease the cosmic balance of the situation.

"I'll see you tonight then," I said, glancing downward at the tile floor of the hallway, releasing my hand reluctantly from his.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. I glanced upward at him to see his flawless features twisted into an expression of utter perplexity. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm going to class _with you_ ," he said, as though it were the most apparent conclusion in the world. I was simultaneously overcome with total shock and dubiety, and yet somehow consumed by a warm feeling of hope.

"You are going to come with me – to the class from which you were just fired – not even fifteen minutes ago?" I asked in clarification, feeling completely and utterly dumbfounded, as my mouth stood slightly agape at him.

" _Yes?"_ he began, nodding hesitantly, "...if you so desire me to," he said, as though he could be so foolish as to believe that I desired anything else. I smiled at him gently, if not a bit timidly beneath the intense gazes of his family members.

"You know what I desire," I said in almost a whisper, and he smiled down at me softly, leaning inwards towards me to plant his soft lips ever so lightly upon my cheek. I beamed upwards at him, feeling the crimson color climbing to my cheeks. He suddenly turned his gaze towards his family.

"We'll see you all back at the house after class, alright?" he said confidently, despite Alice's skeptical gaze. It appeared that her thoughts on the matter were not so dissimilar from mine, with the exception that she did not have her own desires overpowering her better judgement. Edward placed his hand gently back in mine as we turned away from his family, and with Angela by our side, began to make our way down the hallway toward the biology auditorium.

"Get a room you two," I heard Emmett holler, laughing raucously behind us.

"You are a child Emmett," Edward called nonchalantly over his shoulder, a grin tugging at his expression. Angela let out a muted chuckle, before I saw her expression turn pensive. She inhaled deeply.

"Are you sure you're alright with this Edward?" she asked, her sincere concern apparent in her expression. It seemed that Angela had managed to make room in her life for Edward as she originally had for me, and I could see no reason why she wouldn't. If anyone in the world deserved such a kind and thoughtful friend as Angela, it was Edward. He deserved someone who would look entirely past his reputation.

"Of course I am," he said with complete conviction.

"I've had to hide from this for far too long. I don't want to hide anymore," he said, smiling down at me tenderly, before his gaze refocused on Angela.

"Besides – if being in the limelight has taught me anything, it is to never allow people to invent something about you to gossip over. Instead – give them something in plain sight to gossip over. That way, you control your own reputation," he said, nodding his head at her hesitantly. It was apparent by his expression that he knew that what he was about to do was treacherous, that there was a possibility of it rebounding upon him in unexpected ways, but he seemed entirely confident in his approach. I would trust him as I always did, and if worse came to worst, I would stand by him until the end.

We paused momentarily before the doors to the auditorium, as Edward inhaled deeply. I was vaguely aware of how difficult the moment must have been for him as he prepared to reenter his old place of work having been disgraced in such a way, but I could see the determination swell in his eyes, and he exhaled, holding his head high above him in a distinguished manner. I lightly squeezed his hand, which was interwoven with my own, and shot him as comforting a smile as I could muster, as my own heart was pounding in my chest with apprehension at walking through the threshold of the door. He glanced down at me, unleashing a magnificent smile, which caused a flutter to erupt through my stomach, and together, we crossed through the threshold into the auditorium. I tried my best not to look about the room as we entered, our hands intertwined, as Angela led the way to our typical seats near the rear of the auditorium, but it was difficult to ignore the obvious murmuring that surrounded us, or the quiet gasping that seemed to be emanating from almost every corner of the room in muted tones, as though the students believed that their muffled sounds would not reach our ears. We took our seats, with Angela on my left, and Edward in the usually vacant seat on my right. I continued to stare downward at the flattened brown carpet, strengthening my resolve and pulling at every spare ounce of my courage. I inhaled deeply, and sighed, willing my anxiety from my body, and finally looked up to glance about the room. It seemed almost every head in the quickly filling auditorium was staring at us. Some of their gazes were cold and penetrating and judgmental, while others were sympathetic, almost as though they somehow found the sight of us together inspirational in a way. From the female students I only encountered one type of glare, a venomous one, filled with jealousy and hatred as I sat beside the man that many of them so obviously coveted. They wished nothing more than to see me completely and utterly destroyed. I averted my eyes from them to glance upward at Edward, who was staring about the room looking rather amused. I raised my eyebrow at him questioningly, and he glanced downward at me, chuckling lightly at my expression.

"I believe that they have all noticed us, though it appears many of them are surprised to see me here today," he said in a hushed tone, smirking to himself with satisfaction. I kept my eyes locked upon his so as to keep my gaze from drifting anxiously about the room.

"I almost feel like we are some sort of exhibit that they've all simply come to gawk at," I said, feeling the tightness in my chest pull at my lungs.

"I – I just wish that I didn't feel so – exposed," I whispered upwards at him, attempting to push back at the clenching force of my apprehension. He gazed down at me delicately, before raising the armrest which separated our seats from one another and pulling me firmly against his side, leaning down slowly to place his lips lightly into my hair.

"Nothing they say can touch us, for we burn too brightly to be afraid of the dark," he whispered to me gently. I could hear the wave of whispers travel rapidly throughout the room at the sight of his proximity, but the sound rolled over me as though it were but a light summer's breeze, for within the warm comfort of his embrace, I suddenly realized that their judgement could not touch me, could not change me, could not pull me away from him even if they had tried, for he was far too important to me to ever let go. A flame at first may be tenuous, and easily extinguished, but if properly fed, it could quickly enlarge to proportions that are nearly impossible to deter. That was the flame that I had for Edward, not a single strike of a match, but a burning inferno of firewood and kindling, warming the air about it and throwing sparks high into the darkness of night. No, we could not be extinguished simply by fanning at our flame. If anything, it would only cause us to burn brighter.

At that moment, Professor Banner entered the room to call the class to order, but before he managed to speak one sentence his gaze landed upon Edward, whose arm was wrapped blatantly about my shoulder, his hand meshed entirely with mine. Edward met Professor Banner's gaze with unrelenting intensity, as though wordlessly challenging him to attempt to remove him from where he sat. A powerful hush seemed to fall over the classroom as the two men stared at one another, as though a silent conversation were transpiring between the two of them. The tension of their interaction was almost tangible in the air of the room as nervous students glanced back and forth between the two of them in the stillness of the moment. Angela glanced in Edward's direction nervously, but his eyes never moved from his former employer, who stood before him on the stage. Without any further indication, Professor Banner suddenly proceeded through his typical introduction, with not a word of acknowledgement towards either Edward, or the strained tension that had momentarily enveloped the room. Edward relaxed ever so slightly, exhaling heavily before placing a gentle kiss upon my forehead as Professor Banner began his lecture for the afternoon. He continued the class without interruption, and eventually after the two hour lecture had concluded, dismissed us without ever making any further eye contact with either Edward or myself again. Angela, Edward and I rose in unison upon the conclusion of the class and made our way out the back doors of the auditorium. I couldn't help but glance upwards at Edward as we left the room, absorbing the victorious expression that was painted brightly across his face. I raised an eyebrow at him, smiling upwards at him questioningly.

"What?" I asked him, as he grinned down at me. He shrugged insouciantly.

"That was simply far less difficult than I had imagined it was going to be," he said, a peaceful expression crossing his features. Reflecting upon the last few hours, I realized that he was entirely correct. Other than the initial murmurs and whispers that flooded through the room, and the initial intensity of his tension with Professor Banner, the class had passed rather uneventfully, even peacefully, as I had rested in the comfort of Edward's embrace.

"I dare say that may have been the worst of what we will encounter, or at least, I adamantly hope that it is," he said with a gentle smile. I squeezed slightly at his hand, which was intertwined with mine, and allowed myself to exhale slowly, releasing all of the fears and ghosts that had previously haunted my past, inhaling the cool crisp air that signaled the power of our future together.

Upon exiting the medical building it seemed that the world about us had completely changed from what it had been earlier that morning. Gone were the oppressive swirling clouds and muted color palette, replaced by glorious golden sunshine, although the air was still frigidly cold, and I could still make out the faintest trace of mist visible in my breath. The last remnants of red and gold burned beautifully like fire in the trees that surrounded the building, their colors even more vivid in the crimson light of sunset. The playful fingers of the frigid wind tossed my hair before my face, and I couldn't help but laugh upwards towards the beautiful blue of the sky. I turned to look back at Edward and Angela, my heart full of nothing but contentment, joy, and love. Their smiling faces only further lifted my mood towards the crystalline clarity of the sky. I turned to Angela positively beaming, and she gazed back at me with a gleeful smile.

"So are you coming out to celebrate with us this evening?" I asked. Her kind joyful smile was suddenly tinted with an ever so slight edge of culpability.

"Actually…" she began, biting ever so slightly at her bottom lip, "… I may – have another obligation," she said timorously, her eyes shooting upwards, obviously concealing something. My intuition flashed through my mind and out of my mouth before I could stopper the words.

"Does this commitment have anything to do with the audio visual club by chance?" I asked, with a tone of playful suspicion. Angela's eyes widened in a manner akin to a puppy that had just been caught red handed digging a hole in the backyard.

"Perhaps," she responded timidly. I narrowed my eyes as I glared at her with scrutiny.

"You certainly seem to have been spending a great deal of time with the audio visual club lately," I said with an edge of dubiety.

"I enjoy it a lot," she said, her eyes darting nervously about her surroundings. I knew based upon her reactions that I was onto something, though I hadn't the slightest idea why she was being so mendacious, as it seemed incredibly against Angela's character. In this case however, I knew it to be certain, not only because Jessica had spent over a month wondering why Angela had been so involved in the audio visual club, despite her obvious distaste for it, but because I had overseen her frustration with my own eyes, as she would frequently spend her mornings sipping on a cup of coffee in the common room, staring at her computer monitor in aggravation as she attempted to splice together the limited bits of usable video footage that she had managed to obtain for her projects. It would have been obvious, even to someone far less versed in Angela's behaviors than myself, that anytime she was working on a project for the audio visual club, she was completely and utterly morose. Why then, would she spend so much time working on projects for the club if they were such an obvious source of despondency?

"What is going on here?" I asked, gazing at Angela inquisitively.

"What do you mean?" she asked, glaring back at me as though attempting to determine where my train of thought was progressing. Edward too glanced at me curiously, as though he were attempting to discern exactly the same thing.

"Angela, it's obvious that working on projects for the audio visual club makes you miserable. So why are you so adamant about them?" I asked. Angela's eyes flashed quickly to Edward before darting back to mine, saying nothing in response to me, as though she had been stunned into sudden speechlessness. I too looked upwards at Edward, watching as his gaze shifted to Angela, surely attempting to use his powerful intuition to practically tear the thoughts from the depths of her mind. It was there, gazing at the perfection of his flawless features, feeling the biological reaction of my heart accelerating in his mere presence, that an idea suddenly struck me. It seemed so unbelievably unequivocal that I could not believe that I had overlooked it for so long.

"Angela," I began, a warm smile breaking across my face in spite of the biting cold.

"You met someone didn't you?" I asked, smiling at her with delight. Angela's cheeks began to glow a spectacular shade of crimson as she stared downward at the ground, saying nothing in response. I knew immediately, based upon her reaction, that I was correct.

"Sweetie, why didn't you tell me?" I said, crossing the distance between us to extend my arms towards her, wrapping her in a gentle embrace.

"This is absolutely amazing Angela! You deserve this. You are easily one of the most amazing people I've ever met, of course you deserve this. When were you going to tell me?" I asked, smiling with uncontainable excitement. I felt almost radiant in my joy for Angela.

"It really isn't a big deal," Angela responded in her typical selfless fashion. But in this case, her opinion of the occasion's importance was entirely irrelevant, as I believed it was important, and felt such an incredible measure of delight filling my heart that I wished that I could have more effectively expressed it to her.

"Of course it is Angela! I want to get to know him! I know he must be incredible if he is worthy of you. Tell me all about him," I prompted with genuine curiosity and glee. Angela smiled bashfully upwards at me.

"Perhaps another time. You and Edward only get one chance to celebrate what happened today. You and I can talk soon though," she said warmly. I smiled at her, yet again appreciative of her endless compassion.

"Alright," I agreed with a cheerful nod.

"We can make it a girl's day," I suggested warmly. Angela smiled at me.

"I'd like that very much. Now, don't let me keep you any longer. You two have an amazing evening ahead of you," she said, rolling her eyes in a playful manner. I smiled at her gratefully, before taking hold of Edward's hand and turning away from her to make our way across campus, feeling warmth fill my heart knowing that my cherished friend had found a semblance of the same happiness that I had. Angela deserved nothing less than the elation that currently swam through my body, as I tilted my head back towards the sky, laughing jovially upwards, at long last feeling entirely free.


	21. Chapter 21

The drive to his house seemed even shorter than I had remembered it to be, but it was still every bit as exhilarating. Edward once again worked in perfect unison with the sophisticated power of his automobile, his eyes darting frequently downward towards me, their golden depths sending jolts of electricity rolling through my body, and as I had once before, I found the sight of him driving his Lamborghini whilst sporting his ever so alluring fitted leather jacket to be irresistibly seductive. I practically had to dart from the car the moment we had pulled into his driveway in order to prevent myself from throwing my body upon him right there in the confines of his automobile, parked in broad daylight outside of his garage. I could have sworn that I had heard him chuckle faintly behind me as I darted up the brick steps which led to his front door. Upon entering his house I was immediately intercepted by Alice, as she had been clearly waiting impatiently for the moment that I would arrive home from class in order to ambush me. She whisked me away to her room without a moment of hesitation to transform me, as usual, into a mesmerizing siren that had almost no resemblance to the rather bland girl that I traditionally appeared to be. This particular evening, she had adorned me in a skintight black dress covered in sequins, one that hugged my hips and the contours of my legs almost down to my knees. The gown was simultaneously seductive, yet sophisticated, and she had additionally provided me with a clutch, and stilettos to match. Over my shoulders lay a fur cardigan that I was rather convinced was likely made of _actual_ fur. The thought of potentially damaging it certainly made me uncomfortable, but I did not want Alice to think me unappreciative, and so I held my tongue.

As I reemerged into the living room my eyes immediately landed upon Edward, who of course was as fetchingly handsome as ever, sporting black skintight jeans, and a navy, skin tight, long sleeved shirt beneath his charcoal coat. He looked casual, yet sophisticated, and as usual, I found the mere sight of him unbelievably appealing. His golden eyes appraised me with scrutiny from across the living room, a smirk pulling at the edges of his lips, as though he were satisfied by what laid before him. I crossed the room without any hesitation, blindly following the irresistible force of his gaze as it drew me nearer to him. As I approached him, his gaze began to sweep downward over the garment adorning my body, and his smirk seemed to grow more pronounced. My heart could not help but flutter beneath his complimentary gaze.

"You never cease to amaze me Miss Swan," he said softly, gently grasping at my hand and raising the back of my palm to his lips, kissing my skin ever so lightly as his piercing gaze found my eyes. I felt my cheeks burn beneath my skin as I glanced upwards at him and the back of my hand seemed to tingle with energy.

"And you become more astonishing to me with each passing day Mister Cullen," I responded in kind. He smiled at me with unbelievable brilliance and my willpower abandoned me completely as I pushed myself upwards towards him and planted my lips gently against his, allowing his scent to wash over me like the endlessly rolling waves of the ocean. Alice cleared her throat loudly, and I felt Edward's body become suddenly rigid beneath my hands. I sighed deeply as I turned my head towards Alice to glare at her with an edge of petulance. My expression did not seem to bother her in the slightest. Instead she chuckled in my direction before simply nodding her head in the direction of the door.

The drive to the nightclub was uneventfully tranquil as Edward and I sat together in the back seat of the black sport utility vehicle. I had initially been inquisitive as to why Jasper owned an SUV as opposed to a sports car as Edward did, but he was quick to explain that SUV's were far less dangerous than sports cars were. I had let the thought go quickly, as his logic did seem to be both valid and unassailable. I laid my head upon Edward's shoulder as his arm wrapped itself about my waist, pulling me against the firm power of his body, and he rested his nose against the top of my head. Every few moments his lips would land themselves somewhere on the top of my head, in my hair, on my temples, on my forehead, and I would feel the electric energy surge through my body from their touch. I simply felt content to allow Edward to embrace me as I watched the streaking lights of the city blur past us endlessly as the beautiful music of Edward's heart filled my soul with song. It seemed that we had passed an eternity in that manner, or perhaps it was simply an instant, for time stood still in Edward's presence, before Jasper began to pull our car into an adorably quaint, yet charming neighborhood that was bustling with activity. He pulled our large black SUV into a parking space on the side of the street.

"Stay together tonight," Alice commanded from the front passenger seat, her voice ringing with authority, before the five of us emerged from our vehicle into a neighborhood with a vibrant energy the likes of which I had never seen. Everywhere about us there was music to be heard, and festivity to be had as the youth of the city congregated about us for the evening, simply for the pursuit of enjoyment.

We made our way down the crowded sidewalk through the gelid night air. Edward had pulled me entirely against the side of his body, using his own warmth to alleviate the frosty chill of the night. At long last Alice halted before a small establishment in an older brick building, whose open door sent waves of pulsating music forth into the darkness of the night. I could feel the pounding base reverberating in my chest pouring forth from the nightclub, which was simply called _The Secret_. I could not help but ponder what secret it was exactly that the establishment was keeping from its patrons, but after a few moments I realized I was likely overthinking things, as it clearly was suggestive of some sort of exclusivity, as there seemed to be a long line of people wrapped around the block awaiting entrance to the trendy establishment. Alice ignored the dozens of people who had queued up down the street, instead proceeding directly to the bouncer who stood before the open doorway. He met her gaze with a calculating expression before she discreetly placed something in his hand, currency I assumed. He glanced downward subtly at what laid in his palm, before nodding his head curtly and allowing us to proceed. I glanced upward at Edward, entirely appalled, but he simply gazed forward at Alice, shaking his head slightly to and fro, a smirk pulling upwards at the edges of his lips as he proceeded to guide me through the open entranceway to the nightclub, instantly reminding me of the only guideline Alice had ever set forth for me: don't ask.

The interior of building was almost claustrophobically crowded and I suddenly began to understand the purpose of the lengthy queue of people waiting outside of the entrance. The large empty space was mostly decorated in dark colors, with streaks of light jumping about to the beat of the deep rattling bass that seemed to fill the very air of the building. In the center of the large open room was an elevated platform that served as the dancefloor, and I noticed immediately that every window in in the establishment had been cracked open in order to allow the frigid exterior air to trickle into the space, cooling the mass of flailing bodies in the center of the dance floor, making the air inside comfortably cool. I followed Alice's example, handing my fur cardigan to the man at the door, as I had never been to an establishment sophisticated enough to even have a coat check prior to that evening. He handed Alice two small slips of paper, receipts I assumed for our furs, and then nodded at her graciously.

I did my best to not think about the mass of gyrating bodies about me, or the stuffiness of the atmosphere as we proceeded further into the establishment. I simply focused on keeping my mind clear and peaceful, primarily by concentrating on the feeling of Edward's arm about my waist, guiding me carefully through the narrow spaces of the crowded room. At long last we found our way to the congested space of the primary bar, the faux marble counter of which was lit from beneath by an array of color changing lights, giving it a lively, yet sophisticated feel. Edward made his best attempt to gain the attention of the bartender, though through the massive crowds I had assumed that the task would have taken him far longer than it did.

"What can I get for you?" the bartender was practically forced to scream in order to be heard over the noise of the endless chatter and throbbing base, though she was merely inches away. She had a beautiful complexion, though her hair was spiked up in a dirty blonde Mohawk along the centerline of her head, and she had a spider web tattoo above here ear on the shaved side of her skull.

"I'll take a Tom Collins if I could, and for the lady I believe a Sidecar would suffice for now," Edward said loudly, leaning forward across the counter for the bartender to be better able to hear him. He took a bill from his wallet, and slid it gracefully across the bar's surface.

"Keep the change," he said. She nodded at him with a subtle grin, before disappearing to make our cocktails. Edward smirked downward at me, the slightest hint of apology gracing his flawless lips.

"I'm sorry – I should have asked you what you wanted," He began, leaning downwards towards me so that I would be better able to hear him.

"You just seem like a girl who could appreciate a good cognac," he said, smirking down at me. I'm not sure that he was aware that due to my age, I had likely never before even been in the same room as a cognac, not to mention be allowed to try it. I suddenly found myself pondering how much money Alice had slipped the bouncer in order to permit me to enter the club without checking my identification. I presumed that if I knew the amount, I would likely feel incredibly uncomfortable and so I sufficed to shelf the thought for time being and simply allowed myself to enjoy the evening. The bartender returned with two glasses and placed them before us, winking at Edward as she turned to walk away. Edward's drink looked rather simple, clear and sparkling with a lemon in it served in fairly standard glassware. My cocktail on the other hand, appeared nothing of the sort. It came in a tall glass, the type that I had always seen martinis arrive in, and had a deeper brownish orange color with an orange for a garnish. I had to admit I was intrigued, as it certainly appeared to be rather sophisticated. I looked at Edward timidly, wordlessly asking for permission to taste my own beverage. He chuckled downward at me, though I could not hear the sound of it over the throbbing bass, and nodded in my direction with a slight smile. I placed the glass to my lips and allowed ever so slight a sip to wash over my taste buds. The flavor was deep and rich, with an ever so smooth bite of alcohol mixed with a lighter fruity flavor. It was delectable. I smiled, satisfied with my tasting, and downed a much larger sip from my glass. Edward smiled at me brilliantly, his pearly teeth seemingly illuminating the darkness about him.

"Edward," I heard Alice's high musical voice call from a few feet further down the bar, for she was on the other side of Emmett, who somehow had already obtained two glasses full of a foamy liquid that I assumed to beer. She waved him towards her vigorously with her hand and Edward turned his back on me momentarily to lean across Emmett so as to be able to speak with Alice. I turned to face my drink, taking another wholesome sip of it into my mouth. I felt an arm suddenly jolt into my left forearm, and I spun about quickly to see an older gentleman, likely in his mid-forties based upon his greying hair glancing in my direction. I couldn't help but turn slightly crimson, as I was entirely unsure if I was the one who had accidentally made contact with him.

"Sorry," I mumbled turning back forward towards my glass, taking another savory sip, allowing my mind to analyze the flavors as they poured over my tongue, attempting to detect all of the ingredients which made it taste so savory. I felt a light tap on my left shoulder, and felt perplexity wash over me. I turned slowly back to my left to see the man looking at me with ever so strange of an expression. He gazed at me wordlessly for a moment, and I returned his gaze nervously, before smiling timidly and beginning to turn back to my beverage.

"What are you drinking?" he asked in a rough voice. I did not feel particularly inclined to engage in a conversation with this stranger, but he had spoken loudly enough that if I chose not to answer him it would have been rather apparent to him that I was ignoring him intentionally, which would be unnecessarily discourteous. I turned back to gaze at him, feeling an inexplicable measure of uneasiness pass through my body as his eyes raked their way down my form much as Edward's had done earlier in the evening. I looked down at my drink to avoid his lascivious gaze.

"Um, I think it was called a sidecar?" I said, not taking my eyes off of my glass. I saw his posture straighten, the roundness of his stomach shifting in his seat as he slid himself ever so slightly closer to me.

"Sophisticated choice," he said, as though he in some way found my selection of beverage to be impressive or in any way relevant.

"I don't even know what is in it," I said, my anxiety making itself readily apparent in my voice as I felt my chest tighten ever so slightly. I could see his eyes boring into me from my periphery, his hand approaching mine, which rested in my lap. He chuckled, though it in no way sounded lighthearted, but rather almost malicious and menacing.

"Well, you seem to enjoy it. When you're finished there I'd love to buy you another one," he said. His tone sent a shiver up my spine, and I could feel goosebumps rise across the skin of my arms and back.

"Actually…" I said hesitantly, my anxiety gripping its hand tightly about my windpipe, immobilizing me where I stood, "… I'm here with my boyfriend," I said, my voice sounding entirely unconvincing despite the honesty of my words. He stared at me with a forceful amount of incertitude.

"Are you now? And who would that be?" he asked, his tone arrogantly skeptical.

"The man who has his hand visibly around her waist," Edward's velvet voice called out from behind me, his tone ringing with assertion. I felt his arm work its way about my waist, pulling me backwards gently until the entirety of my back rested firmly against his chest. I glanced upwards at him with brevity, taking in the subtle menace in his eyes. The man before me glared back at him with an air of defiance, of superiority, his eyes glancing upwards at Edward, before returning to gaze upon me with desire.

"Would you care to go dance?" Edward said in my ear, his velvet voice simultaneously tender and yet threatening. I could tell based on the man's venomous stare that Edward had not for a moment taken his piercing eyes off of him. Traditionally, dancing would have been one of the last things in the world that I desired to do, given my general proclivity towards clumsiness, but given the circumstances, I would gladly accept the excuse to take my leave of the disquieting stranger before me and be swept away into the majesty of Edward's caring embrace.

"I'd love too," I said, breaking my stare from the man before me and turning to face Edward, my gratitude written clearly across my face.

"We'll be on the dance floor," Edward called over his shoulder towards Alice, Emmett, and Jasper, who all looked at him with puzzled expressions. Alice gazed upon him intensely with an expression that I did not comprehend, but Edward seemed to not think it to be of any consequence as he pulled me farther away from his family. As we made our way to the center of the crowded dance floor, the rhythm of the music suddenly changed, and an incredible bassline began to blare its way through the floor, a bassline that I knew I recognized instantly. I glanced upwards at Edward with unadulterated excitement, to meet his bemused expression, though he seemed more cheerful than he had been moments before.

"What?" he asked, his lips tugging upwards at the edges as he pulled me by the hips fully against his body. I smiled back at him ecstatically.

"Edward," I began, my eyes positively glowing, "It's Stephanie Taylor," I said. His eyes suddenly lit with comprehension, and he smiled down upon me spectacular brilliance, clearly recalling my love of her music.

"Well then, let's dance," he suggested, wrapping his arm entirely about my hips, and I placed my hand on the firm musculature of his back, as the space between us narrowed. I could not have imagined a more appropriate song being played for me to dance with Edward, and the meaning of every word rolled through my body as we moved in unison, every inch of his powerful form pressed firmly against mine, exuding the carnal virility of him that I found so irresistibly appealing. Though it may have sounded entirely like a thoughtless underground club number, the song was in my opinion, rather poetic: a retelling of Stephanie meeting the man that she has realized is the best thing that has ever happened in her life, that she feels incredibly assured that they are destined for one another, and by feeling so secure in that assumption, she allowed herself to take her time with the relationship, instead feeling satisfied in the middle of the night to dream of everything that she knew she would one day be able to do with him. It was a feeling that I was able to relate to so entirely in Edward's embrace, as I felt more certain than I ever had that I was currently dancing in the arms of my future; my magnificently handsome future. I could smell the waves of moist pine that rolled off of him, and they called to me like the enticement of an illicit substance, pulling me forward for another dose of his intoxicating heroine. He rested his forehead upon mine, and I felt my magnetic desire for him increase tenfold. I was only pulled from my isolated bubble of lust, by the realization that we were no longer surrounded by the oppression of other bodies. The crowd had given us a birth of nearly a foot in every direction as those who danced about us stared at us in a peculiar fashion that I was unable to decipher.

"Edward – why is everyone staring at us?" I asked, feeling a wave of embarrassment ripple outward from my stomach. He glanced upwards from my gaze to observe those around us, and a smirk pulled upwards at the edges of his lips.

"Because the two of you are undeniably gorgeous," Alice said musically, waltzing through the crowd hand in hand with Jasper, before beginning to dance beside us. I glanced around once again at the mass of people surrounding us, and realized what it was that was painted across their features. It was envy: awestruck envy. People were envious of me, though I could not imagine for any reason other than with whom I had the pleasure of dancing, for why anyone would ever have a reason to be envious of me I was entirely unsure. I smiled to myself as the song ended, and Edward released me from his tight embrace. I stared upwards at his incredible beauty, recalling all of the things that I knew I could now do, that I had once only done with him in the middle of the night in my dreams. I was sharply pulled from my state of euphoric reverie by an inconvenient realization.

"Um…" I began hesitantly, "I'm afraid I have to use the ladies room," I said softly, glancing downwards at the floor so as to conceal my chagrin.

"I'll be back in just a moment," I said to the four of them, glancing upwards ever so slightly. Edward nodded at me tenderly, as I made my way off to the side of the dancefloor, towards the narrow hallway that was indicated by a sign to contain restrooms. The hall was short and very scarcely illuminated, painted entirely black, though I could make out the women's restroom on the left hand side near the end of the hall. I began to make towards it as carefully as I could in the dim light. I had almost reached the door when the sound reached my ears, causing me to stop in my tracks as every ounce of my breath seemed to flood from my body.

"There you are," said the rough voice, the same voice that I had tried so hard over the last few minutes to forget. It originated from behind me and I felt my heart drop to my knees as I spun around to face him in the subdued light. The deadly hand of anxiety closed about my chest with sudden ferocity. He glared at me lewdly, and I felt my skin crawl beneath his gaze.

"Now, where on earth has that puerile little thing that you call a boyfriend run off too?" he asked goadingly, his mouth twisting upwards in a devious expression. I felt my entire body freeze before his menacing gaze, as he began to step forward slowly and deliberately towards me. We were entirely alone in the barren hallway, and I doubted fleeing into the restroom would help to keep him away. There was nowhere for me to run, nowhere for me to hide. I had no escape. I desired simply to turn invisible, to evaporate into thin air before him, to flee the ominous hand of my own terror that was clenching my body tighter and tighter, seeming to wrap its way about my very soul. He glared at me, his eyes blackened and dark, the eyes of someone who I was only realizing for the first time, was incredibly dangerous. I reached downward instinctively and ripped my shoes from my feet, bearing them in my hands as weapons.

"Stay away from me," I said tremulously, attempting to sound composed, though my ragged breathing betrayed me as I fought desperately against the fog that was attempting to roll through my head, as my terror obscured my judgement like an oppressive haze.

"Don't make this any harder than it has to be," he said, his face twisting into a disgusting smile, his eyes gazing at me with a sort of demented excitement.

"Just drink this and you'll feel all better," he said, raising his arm before me, presenting me with a glass full of brownish, orange liquid. It appeared to be but another sidecar, though my instincts told me that it was far more sinister than it appeared. He crossed the remaining length of the hallway towards me in a flash, wrapping his arm around my waist with crushing might, and through my jagged breathing I let out a short yelp of pain at the suddenness of his grip.

"Drink," he commanded said sharply, his eyes wide, pressing the glass upwards towards my face, though I pulled my head away from him with all of my strength. It was not enough. I was unable to overpower him. I tried to muster up a scream as best as I could, but I could not force my lungs to fill with the shallow rapid pace of my breath, for the hand of horror now clenched at me with as much enormous strength as the man's painfully tight ensnarement. The man forced the glass to my mouth, attempting to force the liquid through my sealed lips, as I refused contumaciously to open them. I suddenly felt his hand clasp to me, squeezing about my face with painful force, and I whimpered loudly through my sealed lips as he attempted to pry my mouth open with the devastating force of his fingers. I saw my moment of opportunity as I fought back against the burning pain that filled my cheek, against the waters that were attempting to flood my eyes. I clenched my teeth down upon his exposed fingers as forcefully as I possibly could, feeling the pliability of his flesh beneath the force of my bite. He loosened his grip on my face momentarily, screaming in pain as the scent of copper filled the air. I recognized my one opportunity to save myself, the only chance that at this point I could possibly see at escaping the certain horror that lay before me. I sucked in a lungful of air despite my shallow breathing, for I had no other options.

"EDWARD," I screamed as loudly, and shrilly as I possibly could, ensuring that I would be heard over the sounds and music of the club. I felt something strike my face with devastating force, as a loud slapping sound echoed through the space. My cheek burned like a hot iron and dancing streaks of light and color filled my vision as I collapsed to the ground beneath the force of his strike. A searing pain spread across the left side of my face, as though it had suddenly been set ablaze and the blazing liquid that had been boiling so powerfully behind my eyes spilled forth across my cheeks without my consent.

"BELLA," I heard Edward's velvet voice bellow outward with uncontainable power. I glanced upwards through my sparkling vision to see him appear at the far end of the narrow hallway, an expression of horror twisting its way about his face that almost instantaneously transformed into one of uncontrollable fury as his eyes met mine, as I lay dazed and senseless on the ground with my attacker standing dominantly over me. The man swiveled his head about to see Edward lunging forwards towards him, and swung his hand far over his head, attempting to slam the now empty glass into Edwards's oncoming skull. Edward easily deflected the blow with a nimble hand movement, and so quickly that he almost seemed to momentarily have become invisible, struck my attacker square across the chest with a resounding thud. The man collapsed, falling to the ground next to me limply, and through my distorted vision I could see Edward extending his hand downwards towards me. I accepted it quickly, my eyes meeting his golden gaze, which was somehow furious yet soft all at once. He pulled me upright with incredible strength, though still handling me as delicately as though I were a breakable piece of pottery. He moved me so quickly that it took me a moment to gain my bearings, as he pulled me around until I was behind him in the narrow hallway, placing the entirety of his powerful body between myself and my attacker, who had now righted himself and was standing at the other end of the hallway with his hand extended towards Edward, something shimmering in his grip. I realized almost instantaneously, that it was the deadly, glinting edge of a blade. I felt my heart almost cease to beat within my chest, watching with horror as the man that I loved placed himself between me and the deadly weapon, so fearlessly offering himself onto it.

"Edward, no," I bellowed at him, attempting to throw my arms about him, to pull him backwards from the lethal weapon that was held before him so menacingly, threatening to snuff out his life, to extinguish everything that I held dear, but Edward gently pushed me backwards from his body, taking up a defensive stance. The man lunged forward towards Edward, swinging violently at him, and Edward jumped backwards, throwing his hands outwards as though to avoid unintentionally coming into to contact with the blade. The man swung at him yet again, and Edward stepped sideways almost instantaneously, his movements lithe, precise, and practiced, as though he had performed them a thousand times before, allowing the man to throw too much force into his swipe, causing him to stumble. With lightning speed Edward stepped past the man's overextended movement, striking the back of his hand with incredible rapidity, causing the glinting blade to fly through the air, before the palm of Edward's hand collided powerfully with the back of the man's head, thrusting his face directly into the wall. The man turned about stumbling, clearly dazed, as a stream of crimson ran from his nose. There was a loud, resonating crack as Edward's elbow collided with the man's face, and suddenly the man's arm was twisted behind his back in Edward's grip. He shrieked outwards, howling in agony. Edward moved so fast that he seemed to be but a blur, moving with the precision of an expert street fighter, and before I was capable of comprehending what had happened my attacker was on the ground motionless. Edward stood over top of him, his breathing heavy and labored, before he began to step backwards from him with deliberate slowness, carefully observing his fallen foe. After a moment, my attacker slowly began to make his way to his feet, though he was extremely unsteady, and Edward raised his hands outwards in preparation to strike once again. The man glanced at Edward, his eyes entirely filled with terror, before he turned his back upon Edward to limp down the hallway. He opened an unmarked door at the end of the dimly lit black hall, revealing a narrow, poorly illuminated brick alleyway. Parked just outside the door was an unmarked white van, clearly waiting for him to make his escape. In that moment, the realization crossed my mind that the van was not only there to allow the man a route of egress: it had been there to take me with him. I stood facing Edward, dumbfounded, and entirely overwhelmed, unable to comprehend all that had just happened before me, for it seemed to have happened so quickly. He had protected me. Edward had willingly put himself in danger to save my life. Edward span to face me, and for the first time, I noticed the stain of crimson liquid that had run down the left sleeve of his shirt, and saw the open laceration across the side of his bicep. The blade of the knife had torn directly through the fabric of his skin tight shirt, tearing his flesh, a wound that he had contracted defending me. I felt as though I were about to implode as the horrific realization of his actions swam forcefully about my head. When combined with the overwhelming trauma of what I had just experienced, and the torrent of questions that swam through my mind regarding Edward's inexplicably masterful fighting abilities, I felt as though my thoughts were about to implode. Edward was upon me in a flash, his eyes darting up and down my body, worry filling his expression. I saw out of my periphery Emmett's head turn about the corner of the hallway. Edward looked at him with alarm prominent across his expression.

"Tell Alice to get the coats, and Jasper to start the car. We have to go _now_!" he shouted with authority. Emmett nodded quickly before disappearing through the doorway, and Edward was upon me in a flash, his hand tightly bound about my waist, pulling me against him, using my body to conceal his laceration as he pulled me around the corner, moving us hastily through the crowded space of the club.

"Bella – are you alright?" he asked, not bothering to look down at my bewildered expression, for his eyes were darting observantly about the room. I nodded upwards at him, unable to speak with any coherency. He guided me quickly through the crowded space to the front of the room and out the door into the frigid chill of the night. The SUV was waiting not ten feet outside the door, with Alice already in the front seat and Jasper behind the wheel. Edward opened the door to the back seats without hesitation and pushed both himself and I into the far back seats, with Emmett occupying the row in front of us.

"Drive. Go to Carlisle's," He commanded urgently, and without hesitation at his instructions, Jasper accelerated the SUV powerfully down the street, driving far faster than he should have been. I stared at Edward blankly, my thoughts spinning faster than I could coherently keep up with. His breathing was heavy and fast and I glanced downward at the crimson stain that was running down the side of his sleeve.

"Edward - are you alright?" I asked, concern spilling forth from my expression through my confusion. He looked downward at me for the first time since he had fought to protect me. His twinkling eyes were simultaneously tender, and irresolute, almost as though he were trepidatious of something.

"I'm fine," he said, nodding reassuringly.

"It's just a scratch," he said, his chest rising and falling heavily, though more slowly now. The moment that I knew he was alright, the questions began to flow freely through my mind with irrepressible force. His inexplicable skill at fighting, as though he had been practicing for years until it appeared to be as effortless as a choreographed dance, the hidden blade that was concealed beneath the desk of his office, the hidden safe in his bedroom, and a secret that his entire family seemed to have knowledge of, a secret that I had been patiently waiting for him to bring to light. It seemed impossible that these strange occurrences were in no way connected, and I could subdue my dread no longer. I stared at him in utter shock, my breathing rapid and jagged, as my apprehension finally lost the battle with my own curiosity, and my willpower folded.

"Edward - what in the hell is going on?" I asked, glancing at him with imploring suspicion. He stared down at me softly, his eyes glowing with sympathy.

"It's ok Bella, he isn't going to follow us, and he isn't going to be able to hurt you ever again," Edward said, his voice reassuringly passionate, his eyes blazing downward at me.

"That isn't what I meant," I said raising my eyebrow at him.

"Where in the hell did you learn to fight like that?" I asked with an expression of unconcealed supplication. He stared back at me, his perfect features frozen in awestruck horror. I saw Alice turn to glance back at me from the front seat, her eyes widened with intensity, though the reason behind that intensity was unfathomable to me.

"What aren't you telling me? Why is there a knife taped to the underside of your desk? Why do you have a secret safe hidden behind a canvas photo in your bedroom wall? What is it that you aren't telling me that every single member of your family seems to know about? What are you hiding from me?" The questions rolled from my lips without permission, pouring out of me frantically as I felt myself begin to devolve into a state of inconsolable desperation. Edward glared downwards at me, his expression frozen, as though he were entirely dumbfounded. His breathing seemed to cease, and I felt his hand begin to tremble beneath my own. Alice and Emmett both stared at me in wide eyed shock from the front of the car, and Jasper's eyes were locked upon Edward in the rear view mirror.

"Have you been hiding something from me?" I asked in a whisper. Edward glared downward at me, his eyes incredibly reluctant, but behind the reluctance they burned with some other emotion that I could not comprehend.

"Yes," he whispered. I could feel the tense atmosphere of the car increase tenfold in intensity after his response as his siblings seemed to become entirely rigid. I stared at him, wishing wholeheartedly that I had been correct in my assumptions, that no matter what it was that he was hiding from me, he would never try to hurt me. I felt that my theory was further supported by the fact that he had risked his life for me only moments prior. Yet still, I could not shake the reality that Edward was grappling with something that was in no way positive, otherwise he would not be so reluctant to tell me. I inhaled deeply, attempting to cling to the warmth that I felt in my heart for him, to the love for him that I so deeply cherished, before I asked the question that I felt certain would alter the course of our future forever.

"Edward – what aren't you telling me?" I whispered, my eyes burning with a frustrating mix of passionate emotions. He gazed at me softly, though his fear was readily apparent in his eyes.

"Bella, I have never been dishonest with you about how I feel, I want you to know that," he began. I nodded at him, intrinsically knowing his words to be true.

"… and I have never dishonestly answered a question that you have asked me. I have only ever omitted certain facts out of necessity," He continued, his expression a mixture of culpability and anguish. He inhaled deeply, sighing powerfully across the back seat of the car, seeming to quiver as his adam's apple bobbed within his throat. He stared downward at me with the most passionate expression that I had ever seen manifested in his eyes, as though he were imploring me to forgive him for every transgression that he had ever committed against me, and held me steadfastly in his gaze. I felt my own heart pounding in my chest in anticipation, and my breathing all but froze in my throat as he opened his lips to whisper softly to me with a repentant expression. The air itself was frozen over in complete and utter silence.

"Bella – I'm not who you think I am."

* * *

End Of Part Two: I Know Places


	22. Part Three: Chapter 22

**Part Three: I Want Your Midnights**

* * *

His words struck me with catastrophic power, as though I had taken a physical blow to the chest, entirely emptying my body of breath, and causing my heart to momentarily cease beating. I had no thoughts, I had no desires, no cravings, and no feelings, other than the overwhelmingly crushing force of my own dread, or so I thought. But upon further inspection, I discovered that to not entirely be the truth, as deep within the recesses of my heart, the warm flame of my fiery love for him still burned with as much unrelenting power as it had before he had spoken, before I had confronted him. The power of my flame created an impenetrable shield about my heart, my very soul, and I realized that his words, though potentially true upon the surface, could not be true at their core, for I knew who Edward truly was. He was kind, and valiant, and protective, and honorable, and compassionate. He was the most incredible man through and through that I had ever had the pleasure of knowing, and I doubted that any revelation about him could possibly denigrate my opinion of him. I drew courage from that realization and inhaled sharply before sighing heavily, allowing my doubt to again escape me, and prepared myself to unconditionally accept whatever knowledge he was about to present me with. I would think no less of him. I finally glanced upwards at him, meeting his gaze as he stared back down at me with unmitigated fear dancing in his eyes.

"What…" I tried to start, but the words caught immediately in my throat. I focused again on the warmth of the flames, and forced the words from my mouth.

"… What do you mean?" I asked timidly. Out of my periphery I noticed that Jasper's gaze was still burning into Edward from the reflection of the rearview mirror, while Emmett's and Alice's stares were transfixed upon me, surely waiting for my reaction to whatever it was that Edward was but a moment from disclosing to me. Edward sighed heavily with exasperated reluctance.

"Bella, you have to understand, this isn't something that I chose, that any of us chose, but if you wish to truly be a part of my life, I feel that it is necessary that you know exactly what you are choosing," He said, placing his face into his hand, the glistening crimson blood that stained his sleeve catching my eye as he raised his arm to support his weight. He looked upwards from his palm suddenly, his gaze landing upon Alice in the front passenger seat, who took her eyes off of me to glance at him.

"I can't protect her from this any longer can I?" he asked with an edge of what almost sounded to be desperation. Alice glanced between the two of us, her face melting into a gentler, less anxious expression.

"I don't believe so Edward. It wouldn't be safe for her. But I do believe you can postpone this discussion at least until we get to the house," she said softly, glancing apologetically at her brother. Her response did nothing but confuse me further.

"What wouldn't be safe for me?" I asked, my eyes widened in tumultuous confusion. Alice's eyes darted over to mine, a soothing expression working its way across her delicate features.

"Don't worry Bella, we will answer all of your questions in just a moment, but you must understand that even though it is principally Edward with whom you are involved, this topic of discussion involves all of us, and so it is only fair that everyone has a chance to be represented. I told you this a long time ago, but if you want to be part of my family, you have to be able to hold your weight in secrets," she said gently to me.

"Besides, it may be safer to have such a sensitive discussion in a secure location, such as our home. Don't you think Jasper?" she asked, turning her head to nod at her betrothed. He nodded back at her, though he never took his eyes off of the rearview mirror. The thought suddenly occurred to me that perhaps he was not watching Edward as I had previously assumed. Perhaps he was ensuring that we were not being followed, which raised yet another bothersome question in my mind. Why would we have to worry about being followed to begin with? After a few moments of pensive thought, I glanced back upwards at Edward, whose petrified gaze had not left me since Alice had begun speaking to me. I stared up at him questioningly.

"What's wrong?" I asked in a whisper so low I was unsure he would even be able to hear me. He did not respond to me, but rather continued to gaze at me with uninhibited intensity.

"You can trust me," I whispered, leaning forwards into him, causing his eyes to widen ever so slightly in wonderment, as though he had not expected me to still so openly crave his affection, though after a moment he shook his head as if to dispel the shock and wrapped his arm about me, pulling me to his side. I could smell his earthen scent, mixed with something polluting, something foreign, which seemed to cause my chest to tighten with fret. It was almost metallic, akin to the scent of rust, and suddenly my mind realized what it was that was corrupting the beautiful scent of him. It was the terrorizing scent of his blood. I pulled myself tighter towards him, wishing with all of my being that I could heal the injury that he had received on my behalf, and wishing even more adamantly, that he would never do so again.

The streaking lights of the city began to become fewer and fewer in number, and I could tell by the flashing intermittency of the stars that a heavy canopy of vegetation lay above the road that we were traveling down. We must have been on the far side of Lakefront now, moving away from the school, and away from the city into more sparsely populated areas of the suburbs. After a few moments of driving down an entirely vacant road, we turned onto a driveway, to which access was blocked by an enormous set of bronze gates, in the center of which a coat of arms of was adorned. Jasper pressed a button on a remote that he had retrieved from the glovebox, and the massive gates began to part before the beaming headlights of the SUV. Before the gates had even completed dividing from the center, Jasper was already inching the car forward through them, and as soon as we had cleared the massive gates, he began propelling the car forward up a heavily forested hill, as the narrow drive wound into the woods. After what was perhaps a thousand feet, we suddenly emerged into a large lavishly decorated lawn, which was adorned by perfectly trimmed hedges and topiaries and a large illuminated fountain and winding creek. My eyes followed the line of the babbling creek up the hill, away from the fountain until my gaze landed upon the grandest home that I had ever laid eyes upon. Actually, I doubted that the word home accurately encapsulated the sheer scale and grandeur of what laid before me. A more appropriate description of it would have been a palace. The drive was made entirely of decorative stone which led upwards to a sweeping estate, the entire face of which seemed to be made of stone and brick. A large tower stood next to the main entry, which was several stories tall and had beautiful vines growing up the incredible stone face of its front. The archways of the entry consisted entirely of marble, and were easily fifteen to twenty feet tall, and the rest of the house seemed almost to be a combination of earthen stone mixed with Mediterranean inspired architecture. We pulled forward until Jasper stopped the car before the grand entryway and turned the key in the ignition, causing the engine to ..smoothly extinguish. Jasper, Alice, and Emmett all exited the vehicle expeditiously, though I barely noticed, for I was still staring out of the window in awe of the grand estate before me, my mouth dangling agape.

"Bella?" Edward asked hesitantly, and I turned, suddenly jolted from my reverie, to gaze upon his perplexed expression. He offered his hand to me, and I graciously accepted it as he helped me step out of the car into the frigid night air. I realized for the first time that I hadn't the slightest idea what had happened to the fur that I had worn earlier upon entering the nightclub, but before I could fret over the fate of the surely expensive item, Alice approached me from behind, draping it over my shoulders.

"Don't lean on her with your arm please," Alice said softly to Edward, and I felt guilt strike me through to the core. If it weren't for my apparent magnetism for all things dangerous, Edward would have no reason to avoid leaning upon me with his arm.

I still could not shake the awe from my expression as I walked over the beautiful stone walkway that led to the majestic front entrance of the mansion before me, which was bathed in warm light from every direction, as though it had been masterfully lit for a grand production. Edward continued to glance down at me, concerned puzzlement crossing his face.

"Bella, are you alright?" He asked, reaching for my waist before suddenly retracting his arm, remembering what Alice had only moments before instructed him. I span about to gaze at him in amazement.

"Is – is this – your house?" I asked, entirely dumbfounded, my eyes attempting to jump clear of my sockets. His perplexity was suddenly entirely replaced by amusement as the edges of his lips tugged upward into a smirk.

"Sort of," he admitted, raising an eyebrow at me questioningly.

"This is incredible," I whispered softly to myself, considerably too awestruck to say anything further. He chuckled lightly at me.

"Welcome to the Cullen Estate, the deep, dark heart of secrecy," he said, his previously entertained expression suddenly becoming solemn once more. He gestured his hand towards the opulent doorway before us, which was a masterpiece of wood and glass, with curving bronze handles that looked as though they had been inspired by treble clefs.

"Shall we," he said softly, nodding his head towards me as he strode towards the door, opening it before me. As I stepped past him through the entrance, accepting his chivalrous gesture, I couldn't help but notice him wincing, as he had opened the door with the arm that was covered in glistening crimson. I felt a tightness once again reform in my chest as I found myself hoping that he was alright.

The grand foyer of the home was incredible, stretching at least fifteen feet to the ceiling, and immediately opening into a grand space with a massive staircase spiraling upwards on the right side of the room into the large tower that was visible from the exterior of the home. The colors were warm and inviting, and the entire space was lit beautifully in a warm, incandescent glow. I had hardly had a moment to begin absorbing my surroundings when I heard a sharp gasp from across the room, and my eyes bolted upwards to see an incredibly beautiful woman descending the staircase, her eyes wide with worry. Her hair was barely more than shoulder length and dark brown like mine, though her face looked far more like the ingénues of old than I could ever hope to. She was slender, though built more fully than Alice, and was taller than her as well, though she shared the same dazzling golden eyes. She was positively stunning in every sense of the word.

"Edward! What happened?" she practically shouted, running down the stairs and darting across the room as quickly as her legs could carry her. Her voice rang through the air with a tone of sweetness.

"It's okay Esme – it's not as bad as it looks," he said, holding his hands upwards like a traffic conductor in an attempt to slow her approach, his velvet voice reassuring and firm.

"Carlisle," she called outwards, her voice ballooning far grander than I had assumed its thin tenor capable of. Edward rolled his eyes, sighing slightly, and it was apparent to me by his expression that he genuinely believed that this woman, whom he had called Esme, was overreacting. I did not agree with his assessment. I would feel far more comfortable with his injury after Carlisle had been given a chance to inspect it. I smiled gently at the woman, conveying my appreciation for her concern. Her eyes suddenly illuminated as she took notice of my presence.

"Is this Bella?" she asked, a smile erupting across her face as she looked upward at Edward excitedly. Edward nodded, a soft, tender smile gracing his features. She turned from him to face me in a flash.

"Bella my dear…" she began, her voice unimaginably warm and comforting, "… It's so wonderful to finally meet you. I've heard so many wonderful things about you from Edward," she said, stepping forward and embracing me softly in her arms. I couldn't help but feel my heart warm slightly beneath the kindness of her embrace, even if she was a stranger to me. I glanced at Edward inquisitively as I lightly placed my arm around the woman's shoulder. Realization flashed through his eyes in an instant.

"Esme," he began as the woman pulled back from me, "this is Bella. Bella, this is Esme – my mother," he said, gesturing to the darling woman before me. I immediately recognized that it was she who had given Edward all of the warmth of his personality, the kindness of his eyes, and the compassion of his heart, for I could see all of those qualities radiate from her with far more openness than even from Edward. I smiled at her softly.

"It's lovely to meet you. You have an amazing home, and an incredible family," I said softly, smiling widely. She smiled back at me graciously.

"Thank you Bella. From what I've heard from Edward and Alice, you sound to be an extraordinary woman," she complimented in reciprocation. I felt the stain of crimson rise to my cheeks abruptly, and glanced downward at the stone tile of the floor to prevent displaying my embarrassment so publicly.

"Edward!" I heard Carlisle's voice exclaim. I looked upwards from the ground to see Carlisle rushing through the grandness of the open area before me towards his son. Edward rolled his eyes with even more petulance.

"Carlisle, it's time," he said, his eyes darting in my direction meaningfully.

"If you insist upon taking care of me, could you at least allow me the courtesy of doing so as we have our discussion," he said, his nerves apparent in his voice.

"I would prefer to simply get this over with," Edward said, sighing heavily, a defeated expression crossing his face. I glared up at him with as comforting of an expression as I could muster through the anxious fog that clouded my mind, and he smiled back down at me gratefully, though there was still a semblance of anguish hidden just barely beneath the surface. I did not want him to be in pain. I did not wish for him to suffer, yet I knew that now that I had revealed the extent of my observation, there would be no avoiding the conversation that was about to transpire. I could do nothing to help him, except to attempt not to judge him for whatever it was that he so feared revealing to me. I felt sure that I would be able to handle it. I must handle it, for his sake. Carlisle nodded solemnly at Edward.

"Very well son," he said with a meaningful expression.

"I'll collect what I need and meet you very shortly in the family room," he said with a nod. Edward acknowledged him with the slightest dip of his head, before facing me and exhaling slowly in a deliberate, controlled manner. Esme's gaze was transfixed upon him, her worry incredibly apparent in her loving eyes.

"Edward if you need a moment I'd be more than happy to show Bella to the family room," she said, smiling up at him comfortingly. Edward shook his head ever so slightly.

"No, I'm alright. Feel free to lead the way," he said with a respectful nod, before he paused momentarily, raising an eyebrow at Esme.

"Also, if you could find something to do with Bella's cardigan that would be greatly appreciated," he said smiling bashfully. I raised an eyebrow at him in confusion as his mother smiled gently, taking the fur from my back, but understanding struck me almost instantly as Edward wrapped his arm comfortingly about my waste, no longer fearful of staining the likely costly fur. Edward led me gently across the massive open space of the foyer of the mansion, with Esme walking just in front of us, and I could not help but stare upwards at the spectacular chandelier as we walked beneath it. I was mesmerized entirely by its elegant lines, and intricate patterns, and felt certain that I could have stood in the room beneath it for a great length of time simply combing over it with my eyes, attempting to memorize every facet of its beauty. We continued through the grand space and down a short hallway before passing through a pair of wide double doors that lead to a room so entirely different from the one through which we had just passed that had I not seen the corridor with my own eyes, I would not have believed us to even be within the same building. The walls and vaulted ceiling of this room consisted entirely of darkened wood, with a large roaring fireplace in the dead center of the left hand wall of the room. The back wall of the space consisted entirely of glass, overlooking a beautifully landscaped pool of clear shimmering turquoise water, which was illuminated dazzlingly beneath the night sky. A large rock feature along the back end of the swimming pool was accentuated by a tumbling waterfall, and the warm lights of the fire and lamps of the room, combined with the glistening turquoise glow threw a beautiful juxtaposition of color across the spectacularly beautiful faces that sat on the couches and in the chairs about the room, awaiting our arrival. The entire space had an incredible feeling of wilderness to it, as though the forests and log cabins of Washington State had been transported here to the windy city. Edward guided me around to an open loveseat that sat near the fireplace, and we sat upon the dark brown leather finishing of it, staring out at the others who were gathered about the room. Alice was staring at me with comforting eyes, obviously aware of the tightness of the apprehension within my chest, and even Jasper was shooting me a fraction of a warm smile. Esme sat across from them, fondness radiating from her beautiful features, and finally on the far side of the room sat Emmett, who looked entirely distracted by something.

"Where is Rosalie?" Edward suddenly asked, startling me. He stared at Emmett expectantly. Emmett grumbled something unintelligible beneath his breath, to which Edward simply cocked an eyebrow, awaiting a reply.

"She refused to come downstairs," Emmett mumbled so softly that it was barely intelligible. Esme looked at him with concern.

"Why not Emmett?" she asked softly, shooting him the most gentle and caring expression I had ever seen.

"I have a few guesses," Edward said staring upward at the ceiling, clearly perturbed by something.

"She's um…" Emmett began, fumbling over his words slightly, "…she's a bit upset – with Edward," he finished reluctantly.

"Of course she is. When isn't she?" Edward responded with the slightest semblance of a scowl. Emmett glanced at him with irritation.

"If she doesn't want to be present I won't force her. Actually, I rather think things may go better this way," Edward said passive aggressively.

"Hey, that's my wife," Emmett said in a booming voice, to which Edward simply rolled his eyes.

"Boys!" Carlisle's booming voice suddenly spoke, causing a hush to sweep across the room as his family stared upwards at him expectantly.

"That is enough. We have far more important matters to attend to," he said with a note of finality. He crossed the room and took a seat next to Edward on the opposite side of me, nodding at his son expectantly, before glancing downward at Edward's arm and inspecting the wound. Edward turned to face me, inhaling deeply. I stared at his face, allowing the blazing depths of his eyes to wrap around the burning fire within my chest, feeling the magnetic connection hum through me, and I inhaled deeply, allowing the warmth to combat the ever tightening anxiety that was flooding my body.

"So…" I prompted him, staring at him with as much warmth as I could muster through my anxious curiosity.

"I'm quite unsure where to begin," he admitted, hanging his head downward, staring at his lap.

"Perhaps you should start from the very beginning," Alice suggested pensively. Edward nodded to himself, as though agreeing with her when suddenly a hiss erupted from his lips as he winced. Carlisle had rolled his sleeve suddenly up to his shoulder, exposing the powerful mass of Edward's bicep, which was discolored by a gash several inches long about the outside edge of it.

"I'm sorry son. I had to be able to look at it more clearly. Just focus on Bella," Carlisle said, not taking his eyes off of Edwards arm. Edward sighed looking back down at me. I watched him as the flickering red light of the fire flashed across the perfect lines of his face, perfectly accenting the turquoise backdrop that shone about the edges of his hair, and filling the shadows of his face.

"Bella, what do you know of prohibition era Chicago?" Edward asked me, enunciating each word slowly as though he were having to lift a hundred pound weight between each. My mind span as I attempted to recall what I could from the American history classes that I had taken in high school, but seeing as I had taken the majority of my history class in Forks, most of my regional history had been taught about the history of Washington State. I could not recall much being specifically about Chicago.

"Honestly, less than I probably should," I admitted sheepishly. He continued to stare down at me, nodding his head once in my direction as his eyes dashed towards the fire, casting them in a smoldering orange.

"It was a different era, the birth of organized crime in America," he began as though recounting a story that he had heard many times.

"The mob had turned the police force on its head, and had them scrambling with their tails between their legs attempting to regain control of the city as several incredibly prominent and powerful families rose to control the entire city. People typically have only heard of Al Capone and his outfit of goons, but he wasn't the only man of power in this town, as there were several other groups who all began to cooperate together. Al Capone was only the figurehead so to speak. One of those other families…" He paused as though the words had suddenly become stuck within his throat, "… was my own," he said, his eyes meeting mine as though to judge my reaction. I stared back at him with perplexity. Edward certainly did not seem to be a gangster of the variety that I knew to exist in modern times and so I contented to simply allow him to continue his tale, following it to its conclusion. I looked at him encouragingly. He frowned.

"You see, that is how over the years my family managed to amass so much wealth, with each generation becoming more and more prominent, for by the time the cold war had come upon us, the mob, so to speak, was no longer interested in such trite concerns as domestic affairs. There was becoming an international syndicate of sorts, where powerful families from countries all over the world were beginning to pool their resources, and the consequences were beginning to become more and more terrible. As time progressed the atrocities being committed were not only growing more frequent, but also increasingly violent, and the blood that hung upon our heads was becoming greater and greater. Carlisle…" he said, glancing over his shoulder towards his father, who glanced up from his wound momentarily, "…wanted absolutely no part of the violence. He has always been a compassionate man. A man of peace – AHHH," Edward yelped loudly, interrupting the passionate and adoring speech he had been making of his father, to whip his head about to glare down at him. Carlisle glanced upward apologetically.

"Son, I need to clean the wound. If you stop fidgeting this would be significantly easier," he said admonishingly. Emmett chuckled ever so slightly across the room at his brother, and Edward shot him a cautionary glance that seemed to not faze Emmett in the slightest. Edward sighed heavily.

"As I was saying," Edward said, composing himself and gazing back down at me.

"Carlisle wanted nothing to do with the violence with which our family was involved. He wanted to be a doctor – he wanted to save people, not harm them, and so he began to use our families deepest connections to reach out to various government agencies, and began to one by one, lead those agencies to many of the most ferocious, dangerous, and powerful people in the world – people that have been apprehended, or in a few extraneous cases – terminated, one by one," he said, clearly admiring the good that his father had done using his families power, before his expression suddenly turned grave.

"Bella, you must understand," he said, his eyes blazing down upon me imploringly.

"Ending the reign of so many powerful people – it has garnered our family a great deal of enemies. There are a great number of incredibly powerful and resourceful people from every corner of the planet that would wish nothing more than to see all seven of us laid out in a morgue. Even within my lifetime there have been numerous attempts made upon all of our lives, myself included, and they will never stop – at least not for the foreseeable future," he said, gazing down at me with an unfathomable expression. I felt my mind coming close to something, the pieces of the puzzle almost fitting together. I was only missing one crucial piece.

"Don't you get it Bella?" He asked, his eyes beseeching me to understand.

"I've been taught to protect myself since the day that I was born, taught self-defense of all varieties, in case I ever needed to defend myself, or to defend my family. The knife under my desk, it is there in case I were ever to be attacked at work, though I elected only to go with a knife as the likelihood of being attacked in an area with such publicity is low. The safe in my bedroom, a small armory, in case we were ever to be stormed at our home. Jasper and Alice have one as well, though theirs is far larger and more complete than my own," he said, as I suddenly darted my eyes about the room, my insides reeling from the sudden realization that I likely sat amongst six of the most effective killers that there ever were, six of the most incredible, compassionate, and all around good people I had ever had the opportunity to meet. My gaze settled upon tiny, fragile Alice, who sat next to Jasper, leaning her head upon him affectionately. I suddenly remembered my own first instinct about Jasper, that he looked far more like a weapons specialist than a financial analyst. I honed in upon him allowing my intuition to carry me forward.

"You aren't a financial analyst are you Jasper?" I asked, my eyes narrow in suspicion. He smiled at me almost provokingly, as though he were impressed by my perception.

"I am financial analyst," he said with a nod, "although I must admit that perhaps it has not always been my occupation," he said ambiguously. I stared at him inquisitively, before turning my gaze upon Edward.

"We first came into contact with Jasper when he was working as a special operative with the C.I.A." he said, nodding down at me with confirmation.

"I also did spend some time working for Interpol as well, overseas in Russia," Jasper said, amending Edward's statement. Edward nodded at him apologetically. I stared back and forth between the two men, a million questions threatening to flood forth from my mind.

"So – you hired Jasper – to help protect you?" I asked, attempting to round out the edges of my theory. Jasper chuckled lightly to himself, and Alice beamed upwards at him.

"Not exactly," Edward corrected me.

"We simply got incredibly lucky that Jasper was instantly taken by my precious younger sister. He has made it his mission ever since to train each of us as well as he had been, and to protect us until the end as he would protect her," Edward said with clear admiration for his future brother-in-law. Edward's expression suddenly turned solemn as he glanced back down at me.

"Bella, if after all of this, you ultimately decide that for some irrational reason you wish to still be with me, you need to have full comprehension of what I am about to tell you. You will _never_ be safe; not for the rest of your life. There will _always_ be another threat headed our way, another old enemy who has come to put an end to our existences. You will have to be trained in the same way that we all were. It is a rigorous and unforgiving process, and I wouldn't begin to blame you for even a second if you chose at this moment to leave this house and never speak to me again. I will entirely respect your wishes. It is simply important that you understand everything that I have just told you," he said, his breath heavy, his eyes locked powerfully with mine. The room was incredibly still as all of their eyes rested weightily upon me.

"You don't have to make your decision now sweetheart. You can take as much time as you need my dear," Esme said, smiling at me with such warmth that I felt it would be almost impossible to resist anything that she asked of me. I felt entirely overwhelmed surrounded by the six compassionate smiles that filled the room, as my mind span with a whirlwind of questions and new information. I inhaled deeply in an attempt to get the tornadic tumult of my thoughts to slow, but I felt certain that nothing but time would allow my mind any clarity. I glanced about the room for a moment meeting all of their faces.

"Thank you all so, so much for welcoming me into your home so graciously, as well as into your lives. I – I honestly don't know what to say," I stammered out as they all gazed warmly at me.

"I think I – I think I just need a minute to process everything," I said, glancing towards Edward, as his face slowly contorted in dismay. His arm had been expertly bandaged by Carlisle who was replacing the tools he had used back into his kit with care. Seeing that he had been cared for, I glanced back upwards towards his exquisitely handsome face once more.

"Edward – is possible that you and I could talk for a moment?" I asked gently, watching as his posture stiffened, and his face grew nearly unreadable. His eyes darted about the room briefly as he assessed the faces of his vigilant family members.

"Of course," he said, glancing at Carlisle, his expression seeking permission to take his leave of him.

"Your arm is all taken care of," Carlisle responded, nodding with a warm expression.

"The wound, luckily, was not very deep. It should heal of its own accord." Edward glanced down at him with a nod of acknowledgement, before again turning to face me, offering me his hand, which I accepted graciously. He stood from the couch on which we sat, and guided me across the beautifully warm room, and up a short set of four stairs that lined the glass wall that exposed the pool deck. We proceed up the stairs, and around a small partition into a beautiful circular room, which was lit solely by the shimmering turquoise light of the pool, as over three quarters of the walls were made of glass. In the precise center of the stone tile floor of the room, practically glistening in the soft turquoise light, stood a spectacularly magnificent grand piano. Edward crossed the room quietly, sat down upon the bench of the piano, and ever so lightly guided me to sit next to him. I glanced downward, allowing my eyes to skim across the flawless ivory keys of the piano, which were so beautiful in the turquoise glow of the air about us. Edward rested his hands upon the keys, and a slow and beautiful melody began to drift about the room from his fingers, filling the silence with song. I looked upwards at him, his complexion being utterly flawless beneath the cool glow of the subdued light, and his handsomeness struck me as powerfully as it had the day that I first laid eyes on him. He glanced sideways at me, his eyes appearing almost a cool shade of green in the shimmering light. He sighed, as his fingers continued to move effortlessly across the keys.

"I've never felt more culpable or more atrocious in my entire life," he said gulping. I gazed at him, and saw that though his eyes looked absently downward at the keys before him, they were filled entirely with anguish.

"For what?" I asked, puzzled. I could feel my heart aching for his suffering, wishing that I could find a way to cure his obvious pain.

"For ever having made it so that you now had the option to choose such a terrible life," he whispered as the song the song deepened, filling with sorrow.

"I'm so sorry Bella. I couldn't stop myself, no matter how desperately I wished to, for by the time I realized exactly what was happening, it was too late," he said, pausing, his fingers stopping for a moment before resuming, playing an entirely different melody altogether, one that was far sweeter, and more intimate. I could feel it flow through my very heartstrings, as though he had somehow put a definitive melody to the song that so frequently filled the silence when I was with him. It was as though the melody were the exact song that was composed to perfectly flow with the tempo of his incredible heartbeat.

"Do you remember that day that I spoke to Carlisle in his office? The day of the spirit splash? How I later told you that he had reminded me of the consequences that I might face, being in my position?" he asked me, glancing upwards at my face, the anguish still present in his eyes, but layered overtop of some other emotion that I could not identify.

"Yes," I whispered.

"That wasn't the only thing that he sought to remind me of that day," he said, glancing back downwards towards the ivory keys of the piano.

"He wanted to remind me – that if I was going to continue to pursue you, to continue down the treacherous path that I had set before myself, that someday I would end up at this very moment. He reminded me, that if I continued to spend time with you, to want to see you, that I would eventually place you in danger, that I would risk your very life, and the thought of that consumed me entirely with guilt. You are so unlike anything that I have ever known in my life. You are compassionate, and gentle, and pure, and beautiful, and kind. You are a genuinely good person, and nothing in the dark secrecy of my life has ever been as pure – as innocent as you are. How could I even fathom allowing myself to corrupt you as I knew I inevitably would if I continued to see you? I tried to push you away, I truly did, and I completely and utterly failed. I could not escape you. It seemed I was determined to destroy you, and I was entirely powerless to stop myself. It was easy enough for Alice to push me back towards you when you had run from me – the day that I first kissed you beside the lake. I should have stayed away from you after that day, and allowed you to save yourself, but she encouraged me to pursue you further. It was easy for her to do in her position, her soulmate is so entirely capable of defending himself, more so than any of us, myself included. But you…" he said, glancing upwards from the keys to meet my eyes at long last. I could see the brimming of moisture that was so layered beneath his eyes.

"You are entirely defenseless," he whispered.

"And, while I vow that I would defend you until my last dying breath, I cannot promise that it would be enough. How could I possibly be so selfish as to allow you to sit before me now, knowing that it could mean that I am responsible for your death?" he asked, not of me, but to himself, his eyes dropping back downwards to his hands. The melody suddenly lifted beneath the effortless motion of his fingers, becoming all at once more uplifting, and more lasting, as though this one song could fill the air for all of eternity, with its sweet, longing melody haunting me until my last breath upon this earth.

"Edward this is beautiful," I whispered looking at him, watching his internal vacillation wreak havoc upon his emotions. I could practically feel the knife of his fear stabbing into my own chest with sympathy, and I would gladly take his pain into my own body without hesitation if I had the power to do so.

"Thank you," he whispered, glancing up from the keys to meet my eyes.

"It was something that started to come to me, every time I would think about you," he whispered, his eyes blazing into mine with unrelenting passion.

"Bella, I don't want this to be taken into consideration when you make your decision - but if this is the last time I was ever to see you – I couldn't allow you to leave without letting you know one thing," he said, the cool green tint of his eyes in the subtle light wrapping their way about my wildly pounding heart. He stared at me for several moments as the melody behind him became higher, sweeter and more tenuous, seeming to reach almost a crescendo of sorts. He seemed to have choked upon the words that he wished to speak, and after a moment of hesitation, finally spoke in his flawlessly smooth voice.

"The moment I met you it was as though someone had pointed a light into my eyes in the sheer darkness of night. Certainly the darkness still exists about the light, but I was so blinded by its brilliance that I was completely unable to see it, and I don't care if I ever do see it again. Bella – you are my best friend – and I am wholly – and unconditionally – in love with you." His voice, though flawless, and smooth, and deep, hummed with the power of a thousand suns, of a hundred bolts of lightning flashing across the darkness of the sky. I felt my heart explode within my chest, and my breathing cease as I gazed at the immense wonderment of him before me. He loved me. He was _in_ love with me. The fire within me leapt skyward from its pit, igniting all of the forest about it in a towering inferno of flame. Edward Cullen was in love with me. I stared in wide eyed amazement, freezing this moment eternally in my memory.

"I just thought you should know," he continued, glancing downward at the keys before him, the pitch dropping back down to its original cord, the simplicity returning to it.

"… and I hope, that when you tell me your decision, and leave here tonight, you simply remember this moment exactly as it was: the moment that I gave my heart to you, and I hope that as you journey onward in life, wherever life may take you, that you guard it well, for I will never have another one to give," He said, glancing back upwards at me.

"Will you at least promise me that?" he asked of me, and I could faintly make out a glistening drop of moisture attempting to leap from his eyes, as it slowly begin to roll onto his perfect cheek. I could bear his speech no more, and felt no uncertainty whatsoever. I felt only flame.

"I will promise you no such thing," I said softly. His face contorted in shock, as if he had just been struck across the chest by a whip, and I quickly proceeded to tell him what he needed to hear.

"I have no decision to make Edward. There has never been a decision to make, as I have only one option that I can live with. I love you Edward, more than I had ever fathomed possible. I am entirely _in_ love with you. It is irrelevant if there is danger involved, or if I must train to defend myself. I would gladly do it a hundred times over to stay by your side, as that is the only journey in life that I see before me," He gazed at me in wondered amazement, and the melody that flowed from his fingers paused abruptly as his hands flew from the keys to the sides of my face as he leaned across the bench of the piano to plant his flawless lips against mine, kissing me with a passion that I had could not have even conceived. It was as though the fires of our hearts had combined and burst forth with the radiance of a newborn star, and now there would be no end to the light and warmth which we would be able to radiate. We could now power entire worlds. He pulled back from me, his breathing as heavy and rapid as my own, and my heart pounded relentlessly in my chest. I raised my hand gently to his cheek, brushing the single drop of moisture from its flawless surface.

"Edward, I will gladly stand beside you in your proudest moments, for your greatest accomplishments, when you are the toast of the town, and for your most outstanding triumphs. But I don't want just the parts of you that can be seen in the daylight. I want your every intimate detail, your every dark secret, thought, and dream. I want your shadows, I want your darkness, and I want to be there if you strike out and you are crawling home. You are far more than what people think you are in the daylight, and as for me, I know what I choose, what I want..." I said, allowing myself to plummet into the depths of his eyes until I felt that I was staring into the radiant heart of his very soul.

"...I want your midnights."


	23. Chapter 23

His fingers moved with effortless grace over the ivory keys for an immeasurable amount of time, not that I was attempting to count its passage in the slightest. To the contrary, I was incredibly content to allow time to simultaneously race by me, and stand perfectly still when I was with Edward. I rested my head upon his shoulder, and occasionally during a particularly noteworthy pause in the melody, he would lean downward towards me and plant his lips gently to the side of my head, and I allowed myself to simply bask in the glowing warmth that his presence provided me. After a time, his fingers froze upon the ivory keys and he glanced downward at me, sighing lightly.

"You know that I could easily spend an entire evening here with you like this…" he began, smiling softly down at me, "…but I'm afraid that my family would likely appreciate knowing your decision, seeing as how this affects them almost as greatly as it affects the two of us," he said, a light amount of reluctance coating his voice. I sighed, hesitantly raising my head from his shoulder. I understood that he was right, that his family was likely waiting anxiously for my decision, but I did not want our time alone together to end. In reality, I never wished our time together would end, but in this particular instance, after having just declared ourselves to one another, I felt especially close with him, and wished nothing more than to float amongst the clouds for as long as I could before gravity cruelly pulled me back downwards towards the earth.

He stood beside me, his face unbelievably handsome in the subtle turquoise light, and offered his hand to me. I placed my palm in his, watching the power of his bicep as he pulled me upwards, though I noticed he used his right arm as opposed to his left as he typically would, for his left was thoroughly bandaged. He must have been in greater pain than he allowed any of us to know. I pulled my arm in tandem with his as he lifted me, causing me to gain enough momentum to slam into the solid mass of his body, and I wrapped my arms tightly about him, feeling his chest rise and fall beneath my cheek as I crushed myself to him. He chuckled lightly and I felt the reverberations move through his body.

"What's all this for?" he asked, smiling grandly down upon me. I hugged him tighter before releasing him as suddenly as I had embraced him.

"I love you," I said casually, smiling up at him. He beamed downwards at me, before shaking his head at my frivolity.

He took my hand gently as he guided us back down the short hallway and descended the several steps into the family room. I glanced about the room at the anxious faces of his family, feeling a sudden inkling of remorse for having kept them waiting for so long. I glanced about apologetically before my eyes suddenly landed upon a woman whose face I had never before seen. She was thin, tall, and athletically built, with long locks of magnificent blonde hair, and a flawlessly feminine face that looked as though she should have at one point in her life been a supermodel. She was the single most beautiful woman that I had ever laid eyes on, and I instantaneously felt hideous by comparison. I felt ashamed to even be seen in the same room as a woman such as her. I glanced over towards Edward, my questions swimming unconcealed in my eyes, but he was no longer glancing down at me. Instead, his gaze was locked upon the blonde woman who sat stiffly on the couch besides Emmett with a distinctly irritated expression painted across her face.

"How nice of you to join us Rosalie," Edward said, not even attempting to mask the aggravation in his voice. The woman, who was obviously Rosalie, shot Edward an admonishing glare. Edward rolled his eyes as he proceeded across the room with me to reclaim the place upon the couch that we had occupied before our ever so enlightening discussion. Edward stared about the room, meeting the apprehensive gazes of his family before his eyes landed upon me. I could still see the flames of his passion raging in their depths, and was overcome yet again by a wave of elation as the realization struck me anew that Edward was in love with me. I could not imagine anything in the world that could afflict me with more joy than such a simple statement. He nodded at me encouragingly, and I inhaled deeply. I glanced about the room at the faces of the wonderful people about me.

"Bella..." Alice prompted, raising an eyebrow at me. I could see the curiosity so entirely plain upon her face that it seemed as though she may burst at any moment.

"I – I wanted to thank you all – for your kindness – and for your warnings…" I began, pausing to glance upwards at Edward.

"… but I suppose none of those warnings matter. I'm in love with Edward, and I'll do whatever it takes to stay. So – as long as you all will have me – I'd like to start learning now," I said timidly, peeling my eyes away from Edward to again face his family, their soft complexions glowing in the radiant light of the fire.

"Bella dear, of course we will accept you," Esme said, standing lithely and crossing the room to place her hand gently upon my shoulder, a loving expression decorating her features. Alice appeared by her side in a flash, throwing herself upon me in a tackling embrace and I felt myself suddenly smooshed against the back of the couch.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes…" Alice shouted repeatedly into the nook of my neck as she bounced excitedly on top of me. I laid beneath her motionless, my eyes wide, and simply waited for her to release her excitement. When she finally stepped back, I could see Jasper smiling widely, obviously happy with my decision, though I felt it was more for Alice's sake then his own. I truly knew very little about him. Carlisle extended a kind hand, which he placed on my shoulder opposite Esme's hand.

"Welcome to my family Bella," he said, his smile warm and compassionate.

"Welcome to the family, Bella of the ball," I heard Emmett practically shout from across the room, chuckling raucously at his own joke. I could only vaguely see the blonde wisp of Rosalie's blonde hair drift noiselessly from the room. I felt my chest tighten slightly, as it was apparent to me that she was entirely displeased with my presence. I could not help but ponder to myself why that was, but for the time being, I pushed the thought from my mind and contented to sit in the warm presence of the remainder of Edward's family. Edward's eyes darted between each member of his family, and I could see the overwhelming joy radiating from his features as he watched his family so readily accept me. I smiled at him, a gesture that he brilliantly returned. Edward sighed contently as his eyes melted into mine, before I saw his eyes dart with brevity to the grand clock behind me.

"I suppose it's rather late. Perhaps we should be on our way," he said, his eyes returning to mine, as though awaiting my response. I suddenly realized that he intended for us to make the decision jointly, and I couldn't help but smile even more brightly at the thought of it.

"That's preposterous," Esme said, waving a finger at Edward in reproach.

"You don't need to be headed anywhere at such an hour. You and Bella can take the guest suite on the second floor," She said, her tone making it abundantly apparent that this was not a topic that was up for discussion. Edward glanced at me, his eyes wide, and I gazed back at him, surprised by the sudden intensity of Esme's tone. It was such a warm, yet stern and motherly statement that I couldn't help but smile slightly at her obvious affection for her children, and her desire for their presence.

"Well, I suppose there is no arguing with that," Edward said, an eyebrow lifting above his perfect features. I chuckled at his mock reluctance, knowing simply by the way that he spoke that Edward loved his mother dearly. I rather thought it to be impossible not to love her, for her demeanor was so kind, gentle, and caring.

Edward stood, offering me his hand, and we made our way towards the double wooden doors at the head of the family room and up the two steps leading to the corridor. We proceeded down the hallway, which seemed to be almost endless, and for the first time I truly appreciated the sheer scale of the estate that Carlisle and Esme called their home. After walking down the elaborate hallway for a considerable distance, the corridor opened up into yet another beautiful chamber, with a sweeping spiral staircase that clung to the curved far wall of the room. Edward guided me to the bottom of the staircase, and I allowed my free hand to glide over the beautiful wrought iron railing that swept upwards along the stairs, feeling its rough, imperfect texture beneath my fingertips. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Edward guided me down a short hallway, and upon reaching the first door on his right, guided me through the threshold of the doorway and into the inky darkness. The moment the door closed behind us, the room become entirely enveloped in pitch darkness, and though I could not see him in the blackness that enveloped us, I was still entirely too aware of Edwards presence. I could feel his soft hand gently placed about mine, hear his quiet breathing in the dark, and as always, the majestic song in the silence, which now manifested to me in the form of the incredible melody that he had composed for me earlier.

He pulled his hand suddenly from mine, and after a moment the room was slowly flooded with light. I found myself standing in an entryway that could very well have been for its own home, as the high arches of the ceiling towered overhead, before opening up into a grand room, with beautiful columns and arches extending through the space, which was populated by a collection of chic, upscale furniture arranged about a massive flat screen television, which was mounted against the beige surface of the wall. Behind the living area, was a massive wall of windows, which opened out to the blackness of the night, and closer to the two of us, on the near, right hand side of the living room, was a magnificent kitchen, which was somehow modern, yet reverent, with a warm color scheme of wood, tile, and granite that perfectly flowed into the living area. The space truly did seem as though it were a home within a home, and I was entirely unable to contain my awe at its magnitude. A smile burst across my lips as I stared about me, before turning to Edward, whose features were twisted upwards in a subtle smile.

"This…" I began motioning behind me with one arm while I placed my other hand against the side of my head, attempting to contain my awe.

"… This is just the guest suite?" I asked, my eyes wide in astonished bewilderment. Edward raised an eyebrow, glancing pensively upwards.

"Well – it's one of the guest suites, although I personally prefer…"

"You have _more than one guest suite?_ " I asked, my mouth entirely agape as I span once more about the room, allowing my feet to carry me into the large open space between the kitchen island and the sofa. Edward chuckled lightly at my antics.

"There is another suite on the third floor, overlooking the tennis court," he said, his lips pulled upwards at their edges in an amused smirk. I stared at him in awe for a few moments, attempting to understand that I really was spending the night in such a house, that such a house even existed in the first place, for this was the type of home that I had only seen in movies, the type of home a celebrity would own, and yet there I stood deep in its heart, with the man who possessed mine.

"Would you perhaps like to look about the rest of the suite, or are you content spinning in circles?" Edward said, chuckling lightly at me, his eyebrow raised. I looked at him with a face of mock offense, before I grinned upwards at him.

"I suppose so," I said, mock exasperation coloring my tone, and he glanced back at me, rolling his eyes.

"This way," he said with a soft chuckle, nodding his head in the direction of the hallway on the left hand side of the room. I followed him down the hallway as he pointed out the various rooms of the guest suite, all spectacularly decorated in a modern, Mediterranean style, as my feet glided effortlessly over the smooth stone floors. Eventually he stopped before a closed white doorway, pausing with his hand upon the handle.

"And this…" he began, pushing the door open slowly, "… is the master bedroom." I entered the doorway behind him to see the massive room before me, in the center of which was a luxurious bed, covered in beautiful white satin sheets. The room was exquisitely decorated, with a mosaic tile floor, depicting the same coat of arms that I had earlier seen adorning the gates that restricted access to the lengthy driveway leading to the estate. The ceiling was recessed in the center of the room, giving it a grand sense of scale, and the space consisted of entirely warm colors, which seemed homely and comforting in the recessed incandescent lighting which shone about the walls. The entire far wall of the room consisted entirely of glass which opened out onto a large balcony, the railing of which was made of stone. I allowed my eyes to glance over every inch of the spectacular space, the incredible artwork upon the walls, the vases which were filled with ornate potted flowers, and Edward's incredible smile, as he watched me take in my surroundings. He easily outshone every other facet of the incredible room as I was again reminded of his unparalleled majesty.

Yet from behind him, the blackness of the night seemed to call to me like a siren's song, and unable to resist it's call, I smiled back at him softly as I made my way towards the sliding glass along the far wall of the room, glancing out across the blackness of night, before I slid the wall open, feeling the brisk frigid air mixing tumultuously about me with the warmth of the house. I stepped through the threshold onto the balcony, placing my hands lightly upon the frigid stone of the railing, feeling its sandy frozen texture beneath my fingers. I allowed the cold air to flow through my hair, allowing its icy fingers to grasp at the anxieties and apprehensions that I had harbored with me throughout the exhaustion of the day's tumult. I willed them out of my body, and as the wind took them I couldn't help but feel lighter. Freed from the oppressive weight of my fear, I allowed myself to revel in my new knowledge, the knowledge that Edward would never hurt me, that his family had wholeheartedly accepted me, and even welcomed me, the knowledge that he loved me, a thought that was still practically inconceivable to me. I felt a smile wash over my face as I allowed the idea of such a notion to swim about my mind, and suddenly, even in the frigid cleansing air of the night, I no longer felt so cold, as my flame warmed me from within.

I was pulled from my reverie by the warm strength of Edward's forearm, which wrapped its way about my waist from behind, as he pulled the length of his body firmly against my back, contouring against me. I allowed his radiant warmth to flow through me, like fresh kindling placed upon my burning flame, and sighed with contentment as his warm fingers traced aimlessly about my cheek. I turned my head in the direction of his hand, placing my lips gently against his fingers, and heard him chuckle faintly behind me. I allowed him to hold me in that way for a time, swimming in his earthen smell, watching the glistening turquoise light of the pool flicker beneath us, and basking in his radiant warmth. In that moment, I was unable to even fathom the truth that was Edward's life, that would soon be my life, as I found it inconceivable that anyone would ever desire to hurt such an incredible man. Yet, I could not stop Edward's words from ringing in my mind as he held me against the night: that people had previously attempted to kill him, to extinguish the perfection of his warmth, to destroy the irreplaceable comfort of his embrace, to cease the incredible melody of his heartbeat. I felt a wave of anguish run through me, twisting my insides to bits as I wholeheartedly rejected the thought with every fiber of my being. I pressed myself backwards into him with a sudden urgency, and felt his powerful arms pull me closer into the firmness of his chest as he nuzzled his lips into the recesses of my hair. I was staring downwards, attempting to reel in my thoughts, to control them, when my eyes landed upon his freshly bandaged arm, the white cloth of which was visible through the tear in the blue fabric of his shirt, and a pang of terror flooded through me as realization washed through my mind. It wasn't solely in the distant past that someone, out of desperate hate had attempted to end his life. It had been but earlier that evening. I realized in that instant one thing about which Edward was entirely correct. I would have to learn to protect myself, to save myself, to fight, so that he would not have to do those things in my stead. I would never again allow my lack of ability to place him in danger. I would never again allow myself to risk the most precious commodity to which I had ever been privy: his very life. I turned myself about, facing away from the darkness of night and the biting wind, instead directing myself into the warmth and security of his chest, and he adjusted his arms about my back pulling me into him closer. I felt his muscles coil around me, his chest rise and fall with his breath, and the light rhythmic pulsating of his chest upon my cheek, below which laid his heart, all reminders to me that he was entirely alive in this moment, standing here before me. I would never again allow myself to take that fact for granted, and I felt my resolve harden immensely in his embrace. I would begin training as soon as I could. I would begin training now.

"So – when you said that I would need to be trained – as all of you have been I suppose…" I began. He pulled back from me slightly, glancing down at me with a puzzled expression.

"Is this what you've been thinking about?" he said, his lips pulling up along the edges into a smirk, and though I could tell that he did find it slightly humorous, he more so dreaded the idea of me dwelling on such things, though he made his best attempt to conceal it.

"I – I mean, I suppose so. I just…" I paused for a moment taking in the power of his concerned gaze. I could see him assessing me, his intuition seeking some crack through which to gain entry to my thoughts. I did not intend to give him that opportunity, and instead focused intently on attempting to keep my expression neutral, and nonchalant.

"… It's just that I've never really done anything like this before. I guess I'm not really sure what to expect is all," I said, attempting to convincingly smear innocent curiosity across my features. He did not need to comprehend the selfishness of my rationale. Edward sighed heavily, his eyes glancing downward into mine with significant weight, although an edge of penetration remained in his golden gaze. I knew solely from how he looked at me that he was not entirely convinced of my motives, but he seemed to realize that while there was a possibility that I was concealing something, he trusted me enough not to ask.

"I always knew that there was a possibility that things would come to this," he said, sighing again into the frigid night air.

"I suppose it is simply hard for me to wrap myself around the reality of it," he said, his eyes tender and almost luminous in the turquoise light of the pool water.

"You'll have to be trained in firearms, hand to hand combat, both offensive and defense, how to avoid being tracked, and a great deal of survival skills, as well as various endurance tasks. I have, of course, volunteered to instruct you in as many of these things as I can, although I must admit that Jasper was rather vocal in his disapproval," he said, shaking his head slightly, gazing aimlessly into the blackness of the night. I raised my eyebrow at him inquisitively.

"Why? I don't see why it should matter to him who trains me as long as it gets done?" I asked, glancing upward at Edward. He did not glance down at me, but rather continued to stare out towards the invisible horizon.

"He simply has a certain amount of…" he paused, his eyes glancing upwards as though he were determining how best to phrase what he wished to say, before glancing down at me, "… _apprehension_ – about me training you in his stead. I will admit that of all of us he is the most skilled, but I suspect that his reasoning has more to do with the fact that he is afraid that I am entirely too enamored with you to truly push you as hard as I need to," he admitted, his eyes glistening like emeralds in the flickering turquoise light of the pool water.

"Are you?" I asked hesitantly, searching the depths of his eyes, feeling my breathing hitch slightly beneath the perfection of his gaze. He stared at me with unrelenting intensity.

"I…" he began, before glancing downwards away from my eyes, shaking his head back and forth ever so slightly.

"I don't want to put you through some of the things that I know I must, but I also understand that it is necessary for you to be prepared. I'm so sorry Bella, for everything that I've put you through, and for everything that is yet to come," he said, staring at me apologetically, remorse swimming across his perfect features, staining them. I did not wish for him to feel such suffering on my behalf, and I reached upwards towards him, laying my hand gently upon his cheek.

"Don't you go soft on me now Cullen. You need to whip me into shape," I whispered, allowing my lips to tug upwards along their edges into a gentle smirk. He smiled down at me softly, a light chuckle rolling from his lips.

"I love you Bella, and because I love you, I can't go soft on you. I just hope that you'll forgive me," he whispered, his expression suddenly earnest.

"We can start first thing in the morning," he said, sighing slightly. I leaned upwards towards him, stretching upon the tips of my toes until my lips pressed against the flawless form of his.

"I'll forgive you the moment I find something to forgive," I whispered, and raising his eyebrow at me, he moved his head downward pressing his lips back into mine. I felt his warmth spread through me, penetrating every fiber of my being as his arms closed about me tighter. He suddenly crouched, lifting me by my waist upward into his inescapable grasp. I could feel the solidity of his might against me and found myself once more hungering for him, wishing to run my hands across the flawless skin of his back and the perfect musculature of his torso.

He carried me through the glass doorway, releasing one of his arms to slide the door shut behind him as he carried me into the warmth of the elaborate bedroom and toppled himself, and me in his arms, forward onto the bed, rolling as he landed so that I was resting entirely on top of his body. His lips met mine hungrily as he ran his hands down the contours of my back, and I fervently pressed my body into his, unable to restrain myself from him. Of their own accord, my hands ran their way beneath the concealing blue fabric of his shirt, and as the cloth rose further up his chest, he reached downward, crossing his arms and pulled the fabric from his form, revealing his inconceivable perfection to me once more. My fingers ran greedily over his musculature as my lips left perfect red stains across his cheeks, down his neck, and across the bare exposed skin of his chest, as though I were marking him from that moment forward in time as my own.

We enjoyed the ecstasy of each other's company there in the warmth of the bedroom for some time before at long last the time came to gather some sleep. I glanced up at the flawlessness of his face, his expression limp as sleep had taken him shortly after our time together, and I contented myself to stare at him as I felt the rise and fall of his chest beneath my cheek, and the glorious rhythm of his incredible heart worked its way through my brain. I allowed my mind to ruminate over the reality of the day, the trauma to which I had almost succumbed, the mysteries that had finally been brought to light, and the reputations that had been completely and utterly destroyed: our reputations. I sighed heavily, realizing that nobody at Lakefront likely had even the slightest inkling of how incredible the man that slept soundly beneath me truly was. They did not know him in the slightest. They did not care to know him, for they were all content to believe the speculations, and falsehoods that were consistently spread about him. None of them knew the truth, which to me, was far more exceptionally spectacular than the lies surrounding his life could ever hope to be. I couldn't help but irremediably wish that I could show the world who he truly was, not in the sense of his secret, but in the sense of his sophistication, his unending kindness, his love, and his protective spirit.

I nuzzled my cheek further into the firm pliability of his pectoral, kissing his smooth skin beneath my lips ever so slightly, and exhaled, allowing myself to release my outlandish hopes and accept the cruel hand that fate had given us. I was moments from drifting into unconsciousness when an idea bolted into my mind with incredible power. I realized instantly that I did have a fighting chance for at least one other person in the world to know the true Edward, the man behind the curtain so to speak. I rolled off of him as carefully as I could in my excitement, hoping that I did not accidentally wake him. I pulled myself out of bed, wrapping my naked form in a sheet from ottoman in the corner, and proceeded down the hallway to one of the rooms that Edward had showed me earlier, an office, complete with the sleek monitor of a desktop computer. I shook that mouse about the pad, and the screen burst to life before me with a brilliant blue background, already unlocked thankfully, and ready to use. I instantly pulled up the web browser, navigating through the pages that led me through Lakefront's student portal to my Journalism class. I quickly skimmed the guidelines once more for my human interest piece assignment, insuring that the article which I was about to pen would not violate any of the guidelines for the assignment. Upon determining that it did not, I opened the word processor and allowed my words to flow freely from my fingertips. My hands moved as gracefully over the keys of the computer as Edward's did across the ivory keys of the piano. I allowed my memory to flow freely onto the page, recounting the meaning of our love in the face of the inquisition that we had faced earlier that day, how freeing it had felt to know that we could at long last be together, and finally, him risking the most valuable thing I knew to exist in the entire world to save me from harm: his own life. As I knew he would expect me too, I omitted several key facts about our circumstances from the article, but overall I felt that it portrayed his civility, his respectful nature, how deeply he seemed to care for me, and his protective nature rather accurately. It portrayed him as the chivalrous gentleman that I knew him to be, and upon completing the piece, I couldn't help but find myself challenging my reader to question their convictions of the truth, of what they perceived about Edward and the nature of our relationship. I knew that it was still incredibly likely that my words would not be enough to change anyone's mind. I was fully aware that in the end, people would still call it what they wanted to, but as for me, I would call it nothing short of what it truly was: _love._


	24. Chapter 24

I was pulled from the haze of my slumber by the brilliant rays of the sun streaking their way through the glass of the long wall of windows. The air was fresh and crisp as I stretched my hands high above me, turning my head over into the dark shadowy depths of the pillow, willing myself back into unconsciousness, for my body felt so weighted and exhausted. The emotional crescendo of the previous day had obviously taken a toll upon my body and I would have enjoyed nothing more than to press myself up against Edward's warmth and drift back into the land of dreams. I could find but one flaw with the brilliance of my scheme. I could not seem to locate Edward. I felt blindly for him with my arm, but landed upon nothing but the plush sheets and pillows. I grumbled lightly to myself, begrudgingly opening my eyes, squinting in the brightness of the morning light. I stared about the room, but there was no trace of him, other than the roughly Edward shaped outline which was readily apparent in the perfection of the luxurious sheets, and the lingering scent of pine and earth that wafted lazily in the air. I noted in that instant however, that the remnants of his tantalizing aroma were wrapped about other incredibly luscious smells, the smell of something incredible being made, that caused my suddenly ravenous stomach to rumble anxiously with hunger. It was as though the aroma was wrapping its invisible fingers about me, attempting to lift me from the satin sheets and carry me upwards to the kitchen. As I continued to lay in bed, torn indecisively between abandoning the ever enticing realm of sleep in favor of food, or allowing sleep to reclaim me for a while longer, I was interrupted by a light rap upon the door. The hinges creaked slightly as the door opened inwards towards me, and the broad musculature of Edward's back suddenly became visible as he pushed his way through the doorway backwards, grasping something wide in his powerful arms. As he crossed the threshold he spun about to face me, his hair wildly disheveled, his bangs hanging down across his face, shooting wildly off in various directions. I couldn't help but be struck by how untamed his appearance was after having just woken, and I found it as purely adorable as I did entirely titillating. He was entirely unconcealed before me, sporting nothing but a tight pair of boxer briefs, and I allowed myself to gaze upon him covetously as my eyes ran over the flawless musculature of his legs, the pristine undulations of stomach, the light dusting of hair between his perfectly sculpted pectorals, and over the subtle veins that graced his biceps, or at least the portion of his biceps that were not covered by bandage. I winced internally at the memory of his arm, and cast it aside quickly, to instead focus upon the tray that he was briskly carrying in my direction, which had upon it a veritable feast of every breakfast item I could have asked for. He had forgotten nothing: perfectly golden toast, crisp bacon, a stack of perfectly fluffy scrambled eggs, pancakes with glistening maple syrup, and a spread of assorted fruits about one side. He proceeded about the side of the bed, placing the tray ever so delicately upon the side of the mattress, and stared down upon me, his eyes blazing gloriously.

"I thought you might like to be treated to breakfast," he said hesitantly.

"I didn't wake you did I?" he asked, his eyebrow rising slightly with ever so slight of an expression of guilt. I could not contain the smile that burst forth across my face as I gazed down upon the spread which he had presented before me, and I glanced up at him appreciatively, grateful for his never ending thoughtfulness.

"Thank you," I said positively beaming up at him. He smiled back at me ever so gently in response.

"And no, I was already awake so, don't worry. I just – wow," I said, as I glanced up at him, feeling almost dumbstruck in the face of him. He smiled brilliantly down at me.

"Then allow me to set the table for our feast milady," he said, turning his back on me momentarily as he exited the room, returning promptly with a clear vase which was tall and narrow, containing the vivid crimson of a single rose, which he carefully placed upon the corner of the tray, before proceeding to take his place by my side upon the satin sheets covering the mattress.

"I cut it this morning," he said grinning bashfully. I stared down in sheer awe of the lengths that he had gone to for me and glanced over at his flawless face, smiling unabashedly towards him, as I cocked my eyebrow him.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you have a rose bush," I said with a slight chuckle.

"Where did you think I had gotten your previous rose from?" He asked, chuckling with puzzlement as I recalled the rose that he had once presented to me in his office, or rather in his former office. I recalled having to return it to him before returning to my dormitory so as not to give Jessica any indication that I had an active romantic interest. How different times had been only slightly more than a month prior, as I realized all that we had lost: employment, living spaces, and friends alike. I supposed it didn't matter, as I would gladly trade all of them for the thing that I had gained, for what now sat merely inches away from me beneath the luxurious sheets, so close to my body that if I wished too I could reach across the space between us and feel the warmth of his body against my palm. No, I determined. This time I would not be returning the rose. I would allow it to blossom before my eyes, and I would no sooner return it than I would return his heart, for I fully intended to keep that as well. I moved myself over beneath the blankets until my body was entirely flush with his, and ever so gently placed my lips against the flawless skin of his cheek. I felt his hand move my hair from my face so that he could in turn place his perfect lips upon mine, and I allowed the radiating warmth to spread through my body without resistance. He chuckled at me ever so slightly.

"You may want to eat up. Your food will get cold," he said with a smirk, and I rolled my eyes mockingly at him.

"Besides, you need a decent meal if you truly want to begin your training today," he said, nodding his head in my direction encouragingly. I sighed, knowing the necessity of beginning my training as early as possible, not only for my own protection, but primarily for his as well. I turned to face the platter of food before me, picking my fork up in my hand and hurriedly tossing a bite of scrambled eggs into my mouth, before I suddenly paused, allowing their perfect texture and rich flavor to explode across my taste buds. I made no haste to complete my meal after that first bite, as everything that he had prepared for me was extraordinarily flavorful. With every bite of something new, I felt ever more sensational flavors wash through my mouth, the peppery bite of the sausage, the sweet succulence of the fluffy pancakes, which had been bathed in syrup. Everything before me was utterly perfect, and Edward too ate all of the food off of his tray until it was nearly as vacant as mine had become. I finally released my fork, resting it gently upon my empty plate and glanced upwards at Edward.

"That was unbelievable," I said, entirely in awe of him.

"Where in the world did you learn to cook like that?" I asked, an eyebrow raised in his direction.

"I used to cook frequently with Esme when I was younger. She truly has a gift when it comes to culinary creations. You'll have to allow her to make you a Cullen family feast at some point. Esme loves nothing more than to spend her afternoon in the kitchen if she gets to spend the evening with her family," Edward said lovingly of his mother, his eyes glistening downward at the sheets as a warm smile spread across his face, as though he were recalling some fond memory that he and Esme had shared together. I couldn't help but feel my heart warm beneath the genuine expression that had melted its way across his face. His eyes flashed upwards once more to meet my expression with the same warming smile, and I reached outwards, seeking the comfort of his hand with my own. He meshed his fingers with mine.

"So what exactly will we be doing today," I asked, suddenly feeling the familiar hand of apprehension tightening ever so slightly about my windpipe. He sighed, staring down at the empty plates before me, before turning his gaze upwards, the penetrating gold of his eyes dazzling me in the brightness of the daylight, as the slightest hint of a reassuring smile crept its way slowly across his lips.

"Well," he began, raising an eyebrow and looking upwards towards the ceiling, "I supposed we should start with something fundamental, but not particularly taxing on your first day, so today we will be doing basic firearm training," He said, glancing up at me, preparing to gauge my reaction. It took a great deal of effort to contain the catastrophic wave of panic that flooded through me. Given my proclivity towards clumsiness, and accidents in general, the idea of myself wielding a firearm seemed as though it would end nothing short of disastrously. Still, I attempted to stopper my panic, lest it become readily apparent across my expression. I could not allow him to see how apprehensive I was. I had to be strong, for I had asked for this responsibility, and now, I must willingly accept it for my own safety, as well as his. He gazed at me intuitively, attempting to pull the thoughts from my very mind, before he cocked his eyebrow at me expectantly.

"Oh," I replied to him simply, keeping my expression neutral in an attempt to prevent him from gaining any insight to my fears.

"Oh?" he asked, a perplexed smirk making its way across his perfect features.

"It's just that – well – I've never shot a gun before. What if I do poorly?" I asked in lieu of my true question, which was _what if I accidentally shoot you?_ But Edward simply chuckled at me, smiling downwards at the sheets that were curled and bunched across the mattress.

"I believe you'll do just fine," he said, glancing up at me with playful confidence.

"You are in very good hands," he said, smiling at me reassuringly, dazzlingly, and I felt myself exhale heavily, attempting to expel my dread from my body. I closed my eyes for a minute, making sure to stare downward at the bed instead of into his eyes when I reopened them, lest I be ensnared in his mesmerizing gaze.

"Ok, let me get dressed," I said continuing to stare downward, glancing about the room for where I had thrown my bra.

"I'll be out in the kitchen in a few minutes," I said, attempting to keep the anxiety clear of my voice.

"What? I'm not allowed to watch?" he said, and I turned my head quickly to gaze at him. A playful smirk had colored his features, and his eyes graced up and down my barely concealed figure. I couldn't help but wonder for a moment if he was able to see clear through the satin top sheet, but realized quickly that I didn't care. I rather enjoyed it when he gazed upon me with such lustful eyes.

"Perhaps," I said softly, my lips tugging upwards at the edges.

"What do I get out of this exchange?" I asked him, my smirk erupting fully into a playful smile. He leaned slowly, and deliberately across the bed, quickly closing the space between us until his magnificent face was merely inches from my own. His eyes blazed into mine as he moved his head gently around to the side of my head, his lips resting so close to my ear that I could feel the soft tickle of his breath upon it as he whispered to me.

"Anything you want."

* * *

We made our way through the labyrinth of the mansion hand in hand, traversing passageways that I felt certain I had not seen before, though I could not be entirely sure in a house so large. Eventually we made our way to a beautiful set of white French doors which led to the exterior of the house, leading to a beautiful stone laid pathway which wound through the immaculate gardens of the grounds. I could tell that in the spring the gardens must have been simply magnificent, for even now, as the grass began to brown and the trees were shedding the last colorless, crumpled remains of their leaves, it was truly magnificent. I held my coat tightly about me as the wind bit through the layers that I had placed upon my body, and its icy hands crafted bland colorless shapes in the oppressive, overcast skies. After walking across the expansive lawn, I saw an outbuilding before us, something that was small and unimposing, yet architecturally a perfect match for the grandness of the main mansion. Edward's arm released my waist as he made his way to the white door, and flipped up the lid of a small grey box, placing his finger against a small nondescript pad. A blue light flashed beneath his finger, and I heard the door unlock with a sharp click. He pulled the door open before me, nodding at me as I entered. It seemed that even in the face of my dread Edward could not help himself but to be a chivalrous gentleman.

The moment I stepped through the threshold of the doorway I was met by a delightfully warm breeze, and I closed my eyes, allowing the warmth to reanimate my frozen cheeks. I couldn't help but imagine a roaring fire, or another beautiful room akin to the family room, a piece of forks right there in Chicago, but upon reopening my eyes, I saw none of those things. Instead of a warm and comforting space, I found myself in a small entryway, which was surrounded by Plexiglas on all sides. There was another glass doorway before us which lead to a long hallway, on the left side of which seemed to be a row of blinders spaced every few feet. From the right hand wall, hung numerous pairs of ear muffs, and visors, two for every station. The space was colorless and sterile, consisting entirely of monochromatic shades of black, white, and grey. I understood the purpose of the outbuilding almost instantaneously upon looking about: it was a shooting range. I felt my stomach tumble its way down towards my knees, and looked up at Edward, unable to conceal my trepidation any longer. He smiled downward at me with reassurance.

"You will be fine," he said softly, leaning down to place his lips gently upon my forehead. I wished that I could momentarily borrow his confidence in me. We stepped through the Plexiglas door and proceeded to the second firing station. Why we passed by the first I was entirely uncertain, but I resigned to simply follow Edwards lead. He removed his charcoal coat, tossing it across the table at the third station to reveal the skin tight, purple long sleeve shirt that he wore beneath it. I supposed if it was absolutely necessary that I learned how to properly handle a firearm, I would at least be thankful that I could do so in a room with a view. He held his hands out, offering to take my coat for me, and I shrugged it off of my body, handing it over to him with a grateful smile. He turned back to me, smiling gently before his face turned serious, and I knew that it was time to begin.

"When you entered the room, did you notice what was along the back wall?" he asked, his gaze fixed upon me.

"Um – do you mean the ear muffs?" I asked, hoping that I had not missed something else that I was obviously supposed to notice.

"Yes," he said with a reassuring smile.

"The most important rule any time you are around a firearm is to be safe. Never point your weapon up, at yourself or at another person. Always point it downrange or at the floor. The first thing you should always do, is check to see whether or not your weapon is loaded, and never fire a gun, especially indoors, without protective equipment. I don't think that I need to tell you that a gunshot without the use of a suppressor can be rather deafening. I mean that quite literally, it could damage your hearing," he said, nodding his head at me with seriousness, and as I absorbed all of the incredibly vital information that he was bestowing upon me, I could not help but have questions swirling about my mind, and the first slipped my lips without my consent.

"A suppressor?" I asked, my eyebrow raised above my head, the tone of my voice making it clear that I was seeking clarification.

"It's the technical term for a silencer," he said nodding his head in my direction.

"I'm sure you've heard of those," he said, smirking ever so slightly.

"Yes. That's the one that when they shoot you it goes _pew_ instead of _bang_ ," I said rolling my eyes at him. He laughed at my antics before smiling downward at me.

"In reality it doesn't sound quite like that but you get the picture. Besides, you don't need to know any of that at this point. We're going to focus on the fundamentals for the moment," he said with a soft smile.

"Like how to not accidentally shoot you?" I asked, attempting to mask my incredibly real concern with a light chuckle.

"Like how to not accidentally shoot _yourself_ ," he corrected with a gentle laugh which rang through the empty space like music. I nodded my head, conceding that that was indeed important as well, though I'd far rather accidentally shoot myself than I would to shoot him. I could at least forgive myself if I shot my own toe off.

"So – as I was saying – always make sure you put on hearing protection before you fire a weapon, especially indoors," he said, returning to the lesson. Another query burst forth from my lips before I could prevent myself.

"What are the goggles for?" I asked, instantly chastising myself for having interrupted him yet again.

"Those are also for your protection," he responded with a gentle, but incredibly handsome smile.

"They protect your eyes from any gasses or lead particles that might be ejected during firing," he said. I couldn't help but notice how his bronze hair shone beneath the sterile light of the fluorescent tubes. He turned and walked to the far end of the hallway, disappearing through an unmarked grey door for a moment, before reappearing, carrying a small black box, which he set on the table before me. My heart almost leapt from my chest when he opened it, revealing the small, black hand gun that lay within. I felt my breathing become tighter and more rapid within my chest as the clenching grasp of anxiety pulled itself about me. I had seen Charley with such a weapon numerous times, for as the chief of police, he had always returned home armed, and Charley too used to go to the shooting range once a month on a Sunday, simply to keep himself in practice. I couldn't help but imagine the look on his face if he knew what I was doing at this very moment, though I was entirely unsure if he would be wearing an expression of deep pride, or unimaginable horror. I concluded that it would likely be a mixture of the two. I glanced upwards at Edward, my eyes wild, but he stared back down at me with reassurance.

"I'm going to start you off with a twenty two caliber semi-automatic. That simply means that the gun will reload itself every time you fire," he said nodding in my direction.

"First you need to check if it's loaded, which in this case is easy as there is no magazine in it, but to be certain I want you to pull the slide back like this," he said, grasping the deadly device in his hands, and sliding the top of it back, turning it over to show me the empty chamber that lay inside of it.

"When we are practicing before I load you up, I want you to do so with the slide back just like this, that way we know that it is safe," he said, and I nodded upwards at him in comprehension.

"It is important to always handle a weapon carefully," he said, his eyes gazing deep into the depths of my own.

"Always keep your finger outside the trigger guard when you pick it up, and then point it out flat across the side of the guard like this he said," handing the weapon to me with incredible care. I felt my hands tremble almost uncontrollably as the cold metal touched my skin, but Edward's warm touch upon my hand seemed to help calm my tremulous nerves. He placed my hand carefully about the handle, and slid my pointer finger outward until it was entirely extended upon the length of the weapon.

"Good," he nodded with a smile.

"Now when you grip the handle, I want you to do so with your pinky, ring, and middle fingers just like this," he said, adjusting my grip as my right hand continued to tremble.

"I'm going to have you raise the weapon to firing position," he said, guiding my arms upwards, extending them out straight before me and down the range. I could see a target at the far end of the room, a black circle in the center of a piece of paper with the vague outline of a man drawn upon it. Surrounding the circle was a series of rings extending ever farther outwards. It sent a shiver down my spine.

"Now use your other hand..." he began, grabbing my left hand from my side, "...to steady your weapon," he said softly, placing my left hand about my right. I could feel the tremors lessen, and I suddenly felt far more in control.

"You also need to make sure that your hand is clear of the slide right here, or it is going to pinch your skin when you fire the weapon," he said, pointing to where the piece that we had slid open protruded from the main body of the firearm.

"Lastly, you need to get into a good firing stance. Spread your feet shoulder width apart, and place your left foot forward, and bend your knees ever so slightly, so that you are balanced. Now you can align your sights, aim downrange, load the chamber and let her rip," he said as though he were describing the simplest thing in the entire world, and not the operation of a deadly weapon. He looked down at me with a grin on his face.

"It isn't all that difficult now is it?" He asked, smirking downward upon me. I rolled my eyes at him.

"That's easy for you to say," I sighed. He chuckled ever so slightly at me.

"The actual firing isn't particularly complicated," he said, raising his flawless eyebrow at me.

"You simply control your breathing, pull the trigger, and make sure you don't release your posture too suddenly or the recoil will teach you a lesson. Plus if you follow through it makes your shot more accurate," he said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. I found the idea of trying to control my breathing when I was so incredibly close to hyperventilating to be rather ironically hilarious, but I kept my thoughts to myself, knowing that it would only give him more ways to playfully jab at me later. He picked up the magazine placing it carefully into the base of the handle, and stepped behind me, again guiding me through the instructions that he had just given me, as I aligned the sights and loaded the weapon.

"Remember - breath, squeeze, and don't relax," he said, his voice as soft as velvet.

"I'm going to place the hearing protectors on you now and myself as well, so I won't be able to hear you speak, but you don't need any more instruction. After you fire, pull the magazine out, empty the chamber and set the weapon down. You're going to be incredible at this. I believe in you and I love you," he said, his voice as beautiful and sweet as honey. I nodded slightly as I heard the world about me suddenly go still beneath the pressure of the earmuffs. I attempted to calm my sporadic breathing, to will myself into a calm, tranquil place, but I could not find inner peace with such a deadly instrument of destruction clasped between my hands. I stared down the range at the paper with the rings upon it, with the outline of a body on it, and held my breath suddenly. I hoped Edward would forgive me if I accidentally shot a hole in the ceiling or the wall or heaven forbid, him. I squeezed my finger ever so lightly against the trigger with deliberate slowness. Without warning, a jolt of energy shot from the gun, and a thunderous boom filled the stillness as the sound echoed and reverberated through the air, and I felt the device in my hand lurch backwards into my stiffened shoulders. My entire body seemed to attempt to lurch backwards before it righted itself. I felt a jolt of adrenaline rip its way through my body as I suddenly found myself laughing maniacally in terror at the sudden thunderous power that had erupted from beneath my fingertips. I looked outwards at the target to see a small hole punched in the paper just inside of the outermost rings of the target. I had hit the targets shoulder, I had hit my mark, and it felt absolutely incredible. I laughed hysterically as I pulled the magazine from the bottom of the weapon, and emptied the chamber, pulling back the slide, and set the firearm down upon the table aimed downrange at the target. I ripped the earmuffs from my ears.

"That was awesome!" I shouted, still laughing maniacally, before turning about to stare at Edward's face.

"Did you see that? I hit him!" I yelled out, my booming voice echoing about the room. Edward beamed down at me, smiling brilliantly.

"Not bad for your first shot," he said, chuckling lightly at me with his dazzling smile. I could not contain the adrenaline that pumped through my veins and I threw myself with all my might upon him, colliding solidly with the musculature of his torso, though he barely wavered beneath the blow for his stature was so solid. He wrapped his arms about me, pulling me in to the perfect comfort of his chest and I squeezed myself against him with all of my might. He kissed the top of my head gently, as I laughed excitedly into the confines of chest.

"I can't believe I hit it," I laughed outwards into him. He tugged slightly tighter against my body, before pulling back to face me.

"Well, you still have to empty that magazine, so let's see if you can repeat your wondrous feat," he said with a chuckle.

After going through the motions several more times, I felt even more accomplished in what I had achieved that morning, having missed only two of my shots entirely, and having made two within the black center of the target. Edward also seemed to be thoroughly impressed by me, staring at me with wonderment between my exercises, and challenging me to make multiple shots in one attempt. After hitting the target with three consecutive bullets in rapid succession, he almost didn't wait for me to remove my hearing equipment and place the weapon back upon the table before he had grasped my face between his powerful hands, pressing his lips to mine with vigorous hunger. He was about to return the weapon to the room from which he had retrieved it when my curiosity got the better of me.

"Don't – don't I get to see you shoot as well?" I asked curiously, as I found the idea of getting to further observe Edward's impressive skill outside of eminent danger to be rather intriguing. He glanced downwards, raising his eyebrow as he met my inquisitive gaze with an expression of reluctance.

"If you wish," he said, his molten golden eyes gazing deeply into my own.

"I do," I replied to him softly with an encouraging smile. He nodded glancing downward at the ground.

"I suppose I could do one round," he said with a sigh, glancing back upward at me.

"I'm going to need you to stay inside of the safe room though, alright?" he said, nodding at me with an eyebrow cocked, gesturing to the Plexiglas room near the entrance of the building. I nodded with understanding and turned about, passing through the doorway to the clear chamber, before spinning about to look back at him. He grasped our coats briskly from the third station and quickly tossed them through the clear door of the safe room and over a chair in the corner, before pausing to glance at me, smiling softly at me with brevity, before his expression turned to one of intense focus. He made his way expeditiously down the hallway to the station at the far end of the room, retrieving the weapon which I had been using as he went. He quickly pulled the slide back, checking the chamber before placing the hearing protectors upon his head and sliding a magazine into the weapon. He extended one arm out towards the back wall, pressing inward upon a small green button and lifted the weapon before him, holding the weapon steadily in his powerful hands. He looked almost as though he had been sculpted in that position as the power of his body held the weapon firmly in place, preparing to spring into action at a moment's notice.

Without any indication or warning, all eight of the targets along the back wall of the room began to move chaotically forwards, backwards, and laterally at different speeds as though the targets had just become a sophisticated tumult of enemies. I glanced towards them apprehensively, realizing that I had only performed so well because he had given me the easiest difficulty setting, as now the room was ablaze with activity and chaos. Strobing, dancing lights suddenly filled the range, further adding to the confusion, but Edward still looked forward, his musculature taught, but clearly calm, entirely determined. A loud piercing horn blared through the range and Edward sprang into action, dashing rapidly towards me, letting loose a volley of fire down the range as he darted down the hallway at full speed, becoming almost a blur in the chaos. He reached the opposite side of the room in mere seconds and the motion of the targets ceased as soon as he pressed the small red button against the wall of the opposite end of the room. I stood slack jawed as I watched him, entirely awestruck by the extent of his abilities as my eyes ran across each of the previously rapidly moving targets. Each of them, without exception, had been struck by a bullet directly in the black circle at the center of the target, representing that through the movement and chaos, Edward had delivered eight precision shots through the heart. My eyes glanced over at him as he pulled the magazine from the weapon, and placed it gently upon the second station, removing his hearing protectors and placing them casually upon the wall behind him. Only upon having completed his task did his eyes at long last meet mine. His expression was clearly one of apprehension as I stared at him through the glass, entirely frozen in place, my eyes wide and my mouth agape. He was nothing shy of a lethal killer, precise and skilled to a degree that I had never previously imagined possible. I felt myself move slowly towards the glass doorway without having ever deciding to do so, cracking it slightly so that I could speak through it.

"Can I come out?" I asked, my voice shaking slightly as I looked upon him, glancing over the perfection of his form, for the first time having a true understanding of exactly what he was capable of. In all the time that I had known him, never had he been more powerful, or more attractive to me than he was in that very moment.

"Yes", he replied softly, looking at me warily, although I could not figure out for the life of me why he was gazing at me in such a manner. I made my way through the Plexiglas door, stepping towards him carefully as his gaze monitored me with apprehension. I simply stared back at him in complete and utter amazement.

"Bella…" He began hesitantly, raising his arm outwards towards me with deliberate slowness, as though he thought he might startle me.

"...It's alright. You don't need to be frightened," he said softly, opening his hand forwards towards me. I suddenly realized that he was misinterpreting my stare of amazement as one of fear, a mistake that I desired to quickly correct. I stepped forwards past his outstretched arm, watching his eyes widen in surprise as I wrapped my arms about him, pulling myself into the ironclad strength and comfort of his chest.

"Bella - It's alright," he said softly, though I could feel the tension in his voice. After a brief moment, I felt him relax beneath me, wrapping his arms firmly about my back, placing his chin on the top of my head. I could feel my fears melt away into him as I saw him for the first time in an entirely new light. He was powerful, solid, and immovable, and I felt the truth of his words wash through me, filling me entirely with a bizarre sense of warmth. He was certainly correct. Everything truly was alright. Even if I were only ever to acquire even a tenth of the skill that Edward possessed, it would be enough to ensure that I would never again place him in danger on my behalf. He was strong, and powerful in ways that I had never even imagined possible. He was the sun, the center of my world, and even though I had not known it to be previously possible, I felt myself falling deeper into him. My fall was cushioned only by the music that swirled about my in the silence. Indeed, everything was better than alright. It was flawless. I couldn't help but smile gently as I leaned into the solid serenity of his chest. I spoke softly, feeling the fabric of his shirt as it gently caressed my cheek as I smiled.

"I know…"


	25. Chapter 25

The moment I stepped back onto the campus of Lakefront, it felt as though the events of the past few days had vanished almost entirely, as if they were but fictional creations of my own imagination as I walked through the normalcy of everyday life. Gone was Edward's secret other life, and his extraordinary skills with it. Gone was the spectacular mansion far in the suburbs, which housed every sort of lavish room imaginable, and it almost didn't seem possible to me that just that same morning I had been at a shooting range learning to defend myself, while now I strolled so carelessly about campus hand in hand with Edward, already having become an expert at ignoring the glares that he attracted, or rather I suppose, that _we_ attracted. The headline this afternoon that was smeared across the campus was particularly brutal: _Edward Cullen: The life of a fraud._ He simply chose not to even acknowledge its presence as we walked across campus that afternoon, the swirling clouds continuing to cast the world in a desaturated light. I didn't notice the dreary world about me, for as always the world shone in complete color in my mind beneath the splendor of his incredible smile, as he walked me through the grand entrance to the communications building. I couldn't help but feel the distinct tightness of apprehension grasp about my chest as he embraced me outside of the entryway of my journalism class. I had neglected to inform him that I had written my human interest piece about him, about his heroism, his bravery, about him saving me in the nightclub from a trauma that I surely would have carried with my for the rest of my days. I would be forever in his debt for that evening, and I felt certain that this was a poor way to repay him. Still, as much as I wished that I could confess the deed that I had recklessly performed in the middle of the night by submitting the piece, something held me back. I was unsure whether I was scared of his reproach, or his disapproval, or if perhaps he would think that in some way I had betrayed his trust. I had, of course, been certain to reveal nothing about his secret or his personal life. I simply wished to show the world the person that he genuinely was. Certainly he wouldn't be angry at me, for my intentions were entirely pure. Still, I found myself unable to build up the courage to tell him, and for that I felt altogether contrite.

"I'll see you after class," he said as softly as velvet, pressing his flawless lips ever so gently against my forehead. I smiled lightly at my feet, overwhelmed by the turbulent mixture of fiery love, and apprehensive culpability that flooded through my mind in the moment. I resolved that I must tell him soon. I simply did not know when I would have the courage.

He released me from the warmth of his embrace, and I puckered my lips, blowing a kiss in his direction through the air, causing his lips to tug upwards along the edges into a subtle smile as I turned to enter the journalism classroom.

The atmosphere about the room was one of apprehension, though I assumed it was for a very different reason than my own apprehension, one of wondering whether or not their pieces would receive passing grades, or even more frightfully, based upon a few whispered conversations that reached my ears, whether or not Professor Cope would notice that they had turned in their assignments past the deadline of midnight the previous evening. It was something she was known to be rather intolerant of, and for a good reason. In the world of journalism, a missed deadline was license to lose your job. Why should our schooling should be treated any differently?

I took my seat in the back corner of the room, placing my backpack down on the left side of my chair, and pulled from within it my textbook and binder. As I waited for class to begin, I found my mind entirely blank as I stared across the space at the black computer monitors about the room, and allowed the pen in my hand to doodle aimlessly about the paper before me. It was only Professor Cope's entry into the classroom that drew my mind back to reality and I stared down at the paper before me. Written at least a dozen times across the page in my practically unreadable scrawl, was Edward's name, filling every corner of the page. I immediately ripped the page from the binder, my eyes darting about the room. Nobody seemed to have noticed and so I discreetly threw the crumpled piece of paper into my backpack and turned my eyes upwards to Professor Cope, who today wore her strawberry blonde curls back in a large bun.

"Good afternoon everyone," she said with a warm, professional smile. The room mumbled back at her rather unintelligibly. Her eyes darted about and she seemed as though she found something rather amusing.

"I see that you are all nervous about your human interest pieces. Am I correct?" she asked. Several heads nodded vigorously about the room, while others seemed to be wishing that they could simply melt into the floor never to be seen again.

"Well," she began with a smile, "I'm not sure whether this will be good news or bad news, but I did manage to finish reading all of your pieces this morning, although I did notice that some of you didn't quite manage to turn them in on time," she said, her eyes landing upon the girls who had been having a whispered conversation about their tardiness only minutes earlier.

"As I wrote in the syllabus, the penalty for missing a deadline is a fifteen percent reduction in your grade. I am sorry, but in the world of journalism, a deadline is a deadline. Perhaps next time you will remember that," she said, raising her eyebrow pointedly in their direction.

"As for the rest of you," she began, and I could feel the atmosphere about the room tighten considerably, and I myself felt a new hand of apprehension grip at my chest overtop of the already clenched tightness that I had brought into the room with me.

"… I must say, there were a few rather stand out pieces. I was very impressed. There were also a few that were – interesting," she said, though her tone of voice lead me to believe that she did not find them interesting at all, but rather very subpar.

"Overall however," she continued, "I was rather pleased with the body of work that you all produced, and to the student who managed to interview Aaron Coin, I'm not sure how you managed to do so, but your piece was very well written," she said. The fact that any first year journalism student managed to get an interview with the captain of the Lakefront University football team was absolutely astounding to me, though I had to admit I had certainly done several things that others about me would likely consider astounding in the last few weeks as well. I couldn't help but smile in slight awe at the path that my life had taken as of late. I had even managed to meet Aaron myself. It seemed that I was no longer certain of the girl that I was becoming. All I knew was that I rather liked her.

"I do however have one other piece of business to attend to," Professor Cope continued, smiling excitedly.

"As I mentioned when I presented this assignment to you, I have selected one of your pieces to be published in this month's edition of the Lakefront Gazette, after the editors have had a chance to look it over," she reminded us, and I felt the crushing weight of despair wash over my body. I knew that what I had thrown together in the darkness of night had been in no way exceptional enough to claim the prize that I so coveted. I had of course, reread the piece this morning, allowing my fully alert mind to dissect every line of what I had written, and though much of it had sounded excellent to me at the time, there was so much about it that I wished to change in the morning. I sighed to myself, mourning the missed opportunity before me, and wishing that I could have realized what I wanted to write sooner.

"The piece I have chosen was in my view, incredibly unique, being both exceptionally written, and rather enlightening," Professor Cope continued.

"The winner of the contest, and the article that will be published in the Gazette is the piece titled: _Call it what you want_ , by Isabella Swan," she said. Her smiling expression met me head on as she stated the title of the piece, but my mind did not register the words she was speaking for I was so frozen in shock. I was entirely unsure if I had heard her correctly, but if I was not mistaken, it had sounded as though she had just read the name of _my_ piece, followed by _my_ name. I stared upwards at her in stunned bewilderment.

"M-Me?" I stammered, entirely certain that there had been some sort of mistake. What I had read just a few hours ago, that was penned by my own hand, could not have been sufficient. There was so much left that I wanted to change.

"Yes," Professor Cope said, nodding encouragingly at me. I felt the eyes about the room all turn to face me, burning into me with a multitude of emotions: awe, jealousy, and skepticism.

"As I said, it was both well written, and incredibly enlightening Miss Swan," she repeated nodding at me. I felt a brightness flood through me, as warm and filling as a home cooked meal, and a smile burst forth across my face as elation seeped through my disbelief and flooded every inch of my being.

"I – I don't know what to say – other than, thank you so much," I said almost breathlessly as my smile widened.

"It was earned Miss Swan. I'll be forwarding the piece to the editor after class. She will email you with some notes by tomorrow," she said with a nod, before she began instructing the class on our lesson for the day. I spent the majority of the class in stunned incredulity, allowing myself to marinate in the gratification of my accomplishment. But as the clock came ever nearer to the time I knew I was to be released from class, my joy began to be replaced by the powerful murky waters of dread. I knew now that I had done something terrible, that I had indeed betrayed Edward's trust, and that now, the entire school would know what I had done. As if his reputation hadn't already been tarnished enough by those he despised, I had sought to add further insult to injury, to strike him directly in the heart, something that he should never have to endure from one who supposedly loved him as I did. I felt instantly deplorable.

Upon our release from the class, I stalked out of the classroom weighed down heavily by my disconsolation, and though he certainly did not know what was wrong, Edward immediately noticed my sullen moon. His expression instantly contorted in worry from the bench where he sat across from the doorway. I lethargically walked to his side and sat next to him, careful to choose the side of him that was opposite his injured arm so as to not accidentally hurt him should I lean upon his shoulder. He stared down at me with concern, appraising my expression.

"What's wrong?" he asked almost in a whisper, and I could feel his eyes gazing down at me. I could not face him, not before admitting to him what I had done. I inhaled deeply.

"I – I won the contest," I admitted penitently, hiding my face entirely in his shoulder.

"Bella that's amazing!" he said, his voice rising in celebration of what should have been my triumph, although I detected his measured perplexity as to why I seemed to be so glum.

"What did you end up writing about?" he asked me, and I knew that the moment of repentance had come, that I could no longer escape what I had so carelessly publicized. He deserved to know me to be the Judas in his midst. I lifted my face from his shoulder meeting his eyes, and I could feel my terror threatening to strangle me from within as I gazed at him.

"Um – Actually – I um – I wrote about – you," I finished in a whisper. I saw his eyebrow slowly creep upwards as his expression suddenly harshened.

"I wrote about how you saved me that night in the club, though I did omit your skill, and of course anything to do with your secret," I admitted feeling my stomach sink all the way down my body until it rested in my toes. He stared back at me vacantly, his expression entirely indecipherable.

"May I read it?" he asked after a lengthy moment of stillness, his eyes meeting mine with blazing intensity, though I could not tell for what reason as he was hiding his every emotion from me in that moment with expert skill. I simply nodded, removing the tablet from my backpack, accessing my cloud storage to retrieve the article, and placed the device before him. I sat quietly beside him, allowing the waves of dread to roll through my body as his eyes scrutinously inhaled every word that had escaped my mind onto the page. His expression did not waver as he read, which did nothing but allow the chokehold of my fear to tighten its grip increasingly as he continued to glance down at my words. Only upon completing my piece in its entirety did his expression change, as he glanced up at me, his flawless features suddenly perplexed, his eyes glistening like molten gold.

"Is that how you truly feel about me? About what I did?" he said, raising a flawless eyebrow at me, his expression entirely unreadable.

"Of course it is," I said, glancing upward at him with an appalled expression.

"How absurd would it be for me to make all of that up?" I asked, shaking my head ever so slightly from side to side. He continued to stare at me without speaking for a while, some unfathomable emotion swimming in the vibrant depths of his eyes.

"What?" I finally asked at long last, unable to contain my thoughts any longer.

"I love you," he said, his hand bolting to the back of my head as his lips met forcefully with mine. I felt my apprehension shatter within my chest, giving way effortlessly beneath the force of his compassion. When he pulled away from me I couldn't help but stare at him, entirely confused.

"You – You're ok with this?" I asked him, entirely uncertain of what had just happened before me. He raised his hand upwards towards me, placing it gently against my cheek, holding my gaze powerfully with his eyes.

"You didn't say anything at all that would be too revealing. More importantly, you deserved to win, because this article is incredible. I had no idea that you saw me in this way Bella, and while I personally think that it's a bit ludicrous, it's still nice to know," he said smiling brilliantly down upon me, and I felt my heart begin to speed beneath its illustrious magnificence. I smiled back upwards at him, sliding myself in closer to his side. I felt an odd aura of contentment surround me knowing that he had enjoyed the piece of writing that he had inspired. I felt almost as though I had received his blessing to do so, and so I felt the gratification of my achievement slowly return to my body once more.

"I'm honestly still in shock," I whispered, more to myself than to Edward, but I saw his expression perk up at the sound of my voice, turning to look at me with an expression of perplexity.

"Why are you in shock?" he asked, his eyebrow raised in confusion.

"I just – I can't believe that I'm about to have a piece published is all. It doesn't seem real to me. None of what's happened recently feels real. This isn't my life," I said staring vacantly into the wall across from the bench on which we sat, not even noticing the blur of people passing quickly by us. Edward chuckled lightly, the sound of it as warm and comforting as a blanket on a cold night.

"Bella, this _is_ your life," he said, chuckling in amusement, a warm smile gracing his unbelievably flawless features. His face was so handsome that I felt it to almost reinforce my notion that everything about me were simply imaginary.

"That's exactly what you would say if you were a figment of my imagination," I said, laughing with him, smiling broadly. He raised his arm slowly, brushing my hair over my shoulder behind me and brought his hand to rest upon it.

"If this is all imaginary, then I must say I'm in awe of your creativity," he said, chuckling at me.

"I just have one question?" he said, his lips twisted upwards in a grin.

"What might that be?" I asked, amused perplexity coloring my expression.

"If I'm imaginary, why can't I fly?" he asked, and I could not help myself but to laugh at him. He smiled, seeming content that he had elicited such a reaction from me, but how could he not, for he was not only compassionate, and charming, but witty to boot.

"Bella," I heard a soft voice call, a voice that I would recognize anywhere, and wholeheartedly welcome. I span about to see Angela approaching us from the other end of the hallway, on time exactly as I knew she would be, for I had been released from class ten minutes early. What took me off guard, was the man who was walking beside her. He was clearly younger than Edward, and not as solidly built either, being rather thin and lanky by comparison, with dirty blonde hair. I had to admit to myself that he was incredibly handsome, although it was significantly less apparent with him being so near Edward's flawless figure. Angela looked at him with the glistening eyes of enamorment, and I instantly understood who he was.

"Hey Angela," I said, lightly glancing up at her with a twisted devious smile, attempting to both respect her personal space, but simultaneously burning with curiosity about the man who stood beside her. If anything I simply wanted some assurance that he was in any way good enough for Angela, though I found the possibility of almost anyone in this school being good enough for the ever thoughtful Angela to be slim at best.

"Hey Edward," she said, waving at him, her face oddly apprehensive. He smiled back at her with his astounding brilliance and the man adjacent to Angela suddenly looked as though he were about to have a stroke as his eyes attempted to jump clear of their sockets as his gaze met Edward's, though his expression was not one of jealousy, envy, intimidation or even desire as I had seen in so many other men who had gazed upon him. It almost seemed that he was suddenly stricken with awe, as his eyes darted wildly between the two of us.

"Hello Angela. How are you?" Edward responded. I could see him gauging the suddenly frantic expression of the man adjacent to Angela as well, though by the subtle smugness of the smirk that was working its way across his face from the edges of his lips, his intuition had already completely solved the puzzle before us, while the answer still entirely evaded my grasp.

"I'm doing great," Angela responded smiling widely down at him, though I could tell by her expression that she was slightly trepidations about something, something that I suspected had to do with the entirely bewildered man next to her.

"Bella, Edward," she said to us, nodding in our directions at the mention of our names, "this is Benjamin, my – my boyfriend," She said, choking on her own words as she glanced down at us as though awaiting some sort of cataclysmic reaction.

"Ben, this is Bella and her boyfriend Edward," she said, turning to the man I now knew to be called Ben, who was still entirely too busy gaping at us to acknowledge her. Thus far, in my quest to determine whether or not he was worthy of dating Angela, he was certainly not off to a good start.

"I didn't realize that when you said I would be meeting your best friend Bella, you meant _this_ Bella," he said wide eyed. I raised my eyebrow in his direction, not entirely sure what he meant using such an inflection on my name. Edward sat beside me chuckling to himself as he draped his arm about my back, pulling me closer to his side.

"This Bella?" I asked, staring at Angela with confusion, both about what he was referring to and also about whether or not I should be offended by it.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to…" Ben began in a smooth voice, but he suddenly froze, shaking his head slightly as though to clear his mind of whatever thought had been about to carelessly erupt from his lips.

"I just, I didn't realize that Angela knew such esteemed people," he said, his expression suddenly apologetic. Edward smirked suddenly, his eyes darting towards my face, before he returned his gaze to Ben.

"I'm sure that was the word you originally intended to use," Edward said with a light chuckle. Ben's extremely pale complexion suddenly burst into color as a crimson red shade stained his cheeks. He glanced downwards at the ground.

"No, no…" Ben began, but Angela stopped him, placing a comforting hand upon his shoulder.

"Ben," she began, looking upwards at him with reassurance, "Bella and Edward are two of the kindest, most thoughtful people I have ever met. Anything you've heard about them, it's all entirely false. These are two good people, who simply cared about each other so deeply that they didn't let the world stand in their way," she said, smiling down at the two of us and I couldn't help but to beam upwards at her. Her kindness would never cease to amaze me.

"Perhaps, we should start over," Ben suggested, raising an eyebrow downward at me.

"Hi there, I'm Ben Cheney," he said with a warm smile, and once again I could see that he was very handsome, though I myself had been entirely spoiled by Edward's majesty. He extended his hand outwards towards me.

"Bella – Bella Swan," I said extending my hand to embrace his, as he shook my hand firmly. I watched as his eyes darted beside me to Edward, sudden tension becoming readily apparent across his face.

"Ben Cheney," he said, doing a rather satisfactory job of attempting to mask the apprehension in his voice. He extended his hand outwards towards Edward, but Edward did not accept it, but rather, rose from the bench, towering several inches above Ben's blonde hair. Edward extended his hand out towards Ben, who looked almost fearful beneath the sudden stature of Edward's muscular body.

"Edward Cullen," he said, shaking Ben's hand firmly, a warm, brilliant smile spreading across his features, though I noticed that his smile did not reach his eyes, which remained calculating, almost penetrating. Ben seemed not to notice as he relaxed beneath Edward's seemingly friendly smile. I couldn't help but find myself perplexed by Edward and as he took his seat beside me once more, I shot him a questioning look. He glanced back at me, holding a finger up very subtly towards me, and I realized that he intended to explain himself the moment Ben was out of earshot. I nodded my head, satisfied that I would soon be in the loop.

"Well, I hate to do this to you Ben, but I promised Bella that she and I could spend some time together this afternoon," Angela said apologetically, glancing up at him with hopeful eyes.

"But I'll see you tomorrow in class," she said. I sighed glancing at Edward, and even though I knew that I would see him in but a few short hours, I couldn't help but long for him already. Still, I was incredibly excited to catch up with Angela, as it seemed that we had much to discuss.

"I suppose I'll see you later," I sighed, standing in tandem with Edward, gazing at him longingly, yet with a hint of inquisition still in my eyes. He moved towards me, embracing me in the warmth of his powerful arms, and held me tightly to his chest. He bent forward as he typically did, but instead of resting his lips in my hair, he nodded his head far enough that his mouth was directly beside my ear.

"He seems nice enough, but I swear if he hurts that girl I'll kill him," he whispered into my ear. I glanced upwards at him in stunned admonishment as I imagined the ease with which Edward would be able to overpower poor Ben.

"Not literally," he said, rolling his eyes downward at me as I chuckled at my own absurd imagination. Still, I suddenly understood the exchange that Edward had just had with Ben. Edward had been asserting his dominance, sizing him up, all because, as I had only just realized, he felt protective of Angela. He truly cared about my dear friend, and knew as well as I did the goodness of her heart. He did not intend to let anyone take advantage of her, and I suddenly felt as though my very heart were melting within my chest. Edward liked my friend, and she liked him. I truly did not deserve either one of them, and nothing could have possibly made me happier than my realization that Edward and Angela had actually become friends. I leaned up to look at his flawless complexion, beaming at him brightly as I pressed my lips against the soft splendor of his. He released me, smiling back at me forcefully.

"I'll pick you up as soon as you are ready," he said to me, nodding with a tender smile.

"I'll call you. I love you," I said, nodding back to him.

"I love you more," he said with a devious grin, though my heart still fluttered beneath his words disregarding their playful nature.

"Those are fighting words Cullen," I said, allowing a playful smirk to color my features.

"Oh are they? I think I can take you," he said smirking playfully at me.

"If you two are done being adorable…" Angela said, smiling at our antics, yet still obviously anxious to spend time with me.

"For now," I said playfully, watching Edward from the corner of my eye.

"This isn't over!" I shouted over my shoulder as Angela steered me away from where Edward and Ben stood behind us in the hallway. We walked for a ways simply enjoying the silence that surrounded us, as Angela and I often did when we were with each other. It was something in which the two of us found mutual comfort.

Angela had led me from the communications building out into the frigid air of the outside world when she abruptly paused before the lawn, which was now browning with winters approach, as the crumpled remains of the leaves blew about it swiftly in the strong wind, which threatened to take my scarf with its icy fingers. Angela turned about to look at me with a confused expression, almost as though she had just abruptly remembered some unpleasant thought.

"What is it?" I asked her with genuine concern. She paused, looking about hesitantly as though she were uncertain of whether it would be better to simply say nothing at all, before her eyes landed upon me.

"I had intended for us to go to the dorm but – Jessica will be there – with all of her friends. I wouldn't be surprised if she tried to attack you," Angela said, a hint of sorrow coloring her tone, her eyes watching mine carefully. It seemed so incredibly long ago that the turn of events with Jessica had occurred that I had nearly forgotten about them, though in reality it had not been so long at all. Yet, instead of sorrow, or rage, or even pity, all I felt was indifference, and an ever so slight amount of indignation towards her for destroying Edward's reputation about campus. I supposed it was her defamatory campaign for retribution that inspired me to write the piece that I had, and therefore, led to me imminently being published. All in all, I supposed that in reality, I should thank Jessica, an action that would likely infuriate her all the more. Still I could understand where Angela was coming from. It would likely be an altogether wiser idea to steer clear of any unnecessary conflicts.

"It's alright," I said, smiling at her.

"We can just go to the dining hall," I suggested. Angela nodded her head, smiling warmly, and we strode across campus, keeping our heads pointed downward to protect our faces from the numbing frigid chill of the wind.

Upon entering the warmth of the dining hall, we made our way to a table at the corner of the room, away from the crowded and noisy center of the massive hall, which was surrounded on two walls by various franchised restaurants. The open space was interrupted only sparsely by towering columns which were painted in various shades of green, purple and orange. It was, in my opinion quite the putrid color palate, but it did certainly give the space a unique character. I glanced upwards at Angela, who had sat across the table from me.

"So I'm assuming Ben is the reason you have been so heavily invested in the Audio Visual Program this year?" I asked, smiling slyly in her direction.

"Admittedly," she said, smiling slightly at the mention of his name. I understood that feeling all too well.

"When were you going to tell me that the two of you were dating?" I asked, shaking my head at her in disbelief.

"Actually, when were you going to tell me about him _at all_?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She looked at me with the most bashful expression I had ever seen her make.

"You and Edward were going through a lot. I didn't want you to worry about me as well. That's all. You had so much on your plate," she said, smiling at me warmly. I knew it instantly to not be just an excuse, as that truly was the embodiment of Angela's personality: Selflessness.

"Besides," she continued, staring down at the table before her, "We haven't actually been dating all that long," she said, hanging her head as though she were ashamed by that fact.

"How long have you been dating exactly?" I said, allowing my curiosity to take the reins, even though I was well aware that Angela would never do the same were our situations reversed. I felt a twinge of guilt strike me as I became even more consciously aware of that fact.

"Well, I've liked him for months, obviously. You know how long I've been really working for the AV Program," she began, glancing upwards at me.

"But after seeing you and Edward together, having sat in class besides you, and silently routed for you for so long - well, when I finally saw the two of you together, against all odds, even after you thought you had been caught, and being able to watch the two of you simply care about each other so much that you both were so fearless of the consequences, I decided it was time to tell Ben how I felt. I did not want to be a coward. I wanted to be like you, or like Edward. So the morning that you and Edward were going to go before the board, I went to class as I always did, except that I did something I had never done before. I told Ben that I liked him, and he told me that he liked me too, and had just been too shy to tell me. So, he asked me to dinner that night, and the rest is history," she said, ending her story with a heartwarming smile painted beautifully across her graceful features. I smiled back at her warmly, as I couldn't help myself. I could not have been happier for her, for of all of the friends I had made at Lakefront, she was the one who most deserved this, deserved happiness.

"The two of you do look truly precious together," I said smiling, "… and he is very handsome," I said smirking at her playfully. She laughed at me jovially.

"Bella please, I watch you walk about campus all day with a supermodel," she said sportively.

"Still, I agree. He is quite the looker," she said, for once being slightly boastful. I couldn't help but chuckle at her, for I was so happy that she had finally gotten what she wished.

"What about you Bella? Is there anything new going on in your life?" she asked innocently. If only she comprehended the depth of what had happened in my life recently: my boyfriend and his family all secretly being hunted by dangerous people from about the world, having massive amounts of wealth that most people could not even begin to fathom, to myself learning to fight with as much skill as they themselves possessed. Quite a lot new was occurring in my life, and I was not at liberty to discuss any of it with Angela.

"Not really," I said, keeping my lie simple, and straightforward so as to not give Angela any indication of my fabrication. Suddenly a thought that I was able to share burst into my consciousness.

"Actually, there is one thing," I said, looking upwards from the table at her.

"Do you remember that human interest piece that I was struggling with," I told her attempting to keep my face as expressionless as possible.

"Of course. Did you find something to write about I hope," she said with a pleasant smile.

"Yes – actually – I sort of won the contest," I said, allowing an enormous smile to erupt across my face.

"Bella – that's incredible news!" she said, excitement lighting her face animatedly.

"They are publishing you?" she asked, reveling with me in my triumph. I nodded at her. She leaned across the table to embrace me suddenly, and I smiled at the wall behind her, soaking up the feeling of the moment.

"What did you end up writing about?" She asked once she had pulled herself back to her side of the table. I looked upwards pensively for a moment.

"Instead of attempting to describe what I wrote, would you rather just read it yourself?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her as I offered her the option.

"It would likely translate to you better than if I attempted to actually ramble it off to you," I said with a light chuckle.

"Of course!" Angela, said excitedly, as I reached into my backpack for my tablet, and unlocked the screen, opening it to the article that I had written, the article describing how Edward had defended me with his own life, the article that I hoped would soon show Lakefront who the real Edward was. Angela's eyes skimmed the page at a furious pace as she absorbed my words. She had barely finished when her eyes darted upwards at me with alarm.

"You were attacked?" she said, concern flooding her features. I nodded at her.

"Are you alright?" she asked. I sighed ever so slightly. I should have anticipated this reaction, as she had no idea the extent of the skill that my defender had.

"Yes. I was a bit shaken but otherwise unharmed," I told her, smiling at her gently.

"Is Edward alright?" she asked, warming my heart ever so slightly. She genuinely cared if he were alright almost as much as she did for me. I liked the thought of that.

"As I wrote, he was injured, though not severely. My attacker slashed his arm with a knife," I said, feeling a shiver run its way through my body at the mere memory of what had transpired.

"But he's alright now," I said with conviction.

"Bella – this article – it's incredible. Edward is so – so – brave – to stand up for you like that. I don't know many people that would do something like that," she said almost staggered by the overwhelming reality of what Edward had done for me. Her eyes widened at me as she looked at me with amazement.

"Bella – he is genuinely in love with you," she said, raising her eyebrows at me in wonder. I smiled at her warmly, glowing in the elation that what she said was true.

"I know. I just hope that this article shows people the real Edward, the man that I love, not the fictional character that the tabloids have created," I said with a sigh, staring downwards once more at the table.

"Bella, I honestly doubt that anyone would believe he didn't care after reading this," she said, her voice ringing earnestly.

"They'll claim it was biased, because I'm the one who wrote the piece," I said, sighing, understanding the truth of my words as I spoke them. My article would change nothing.

"Bella – I hate to disagree with you, but I think you are wrong. This story is sensational, it just needs to be presented in the right media, and nobody would be able to argue against its authenticity," she said, staring at me with conviction.

"Bella, do you think that Ben and I could make a report of our own based upon your article. Could we interview you and Edward about this and telecast it the same day that the paper is published?" She asked me, her expression simultaneously excited, and yet hesitant, hoping that she would not offend me by asking such a favor. I thought over Edward's reaction, how he had been happy that I had written the paper, and that I had used the necessary amount of caution while penning it. Perhaps he could be convinced to do Angela this favor, as the both of us did owe her an endless amount of favors for her unwavering loyalty.

"I can ask Edward and see what he says," I replied honestly.

"He may not want all of the publicity, seeing as how his reputation was just rather thoroughly destroyed," I said, wincing as I raised an eyebrow in Angela's direction. I pulled my phone from my pocket, and unlocked it with the tap of my finger. I opened my inbox, and opened the messages that I had from Edward to compose a text to him.

 _Angela had a favor to ask of us. She wants to know if she and Ben can do a report based on my article. They would want to interview us. What should I tell her?_

I pressed the send button looking back upwards towards Angela.

"Well, I asked Edward. We'll just have to wait and see what he says," I told her, smiling softly at her wishing that there was more that I could do.

"Thank you so much for even trying Bella. If he doesn't want to speak on camera I completely under…" she began, but she was cut off by the sudden chime that emanated from my phone. I picked it up off the cool surface of the table, opening the message with a tap. It simply read:

 _When?_

"He wants to know when you wanted to do this," I told her, rather perplexed by the lack of detail in his response.

"Um – we can do it in the studio tomorrow morning if that works for the two of you," Angela replied. I started typing as she was talking.

 _Tomorrow morning? Is that a yes?_

I sent the message, staring down at my phone, allowing my puzzlement to wash over my features.

"What is it?" Angela asked me, and my eyes darted up to hers to see her concerned expression.

"Nothing," I responded, wondering exactly how to explain away his erratic behavior without revealing more than I was allowed to.

"He's just being very, cryptic," I said glancing upwards at her.

"You like cryptic, remember?" she said reminding me of a past conversation that her and I had shared, long before I knew the secrets that were hiding in the shadows of midnight. I couldn't help but chuckle at the innocence of that time.

"I'm afraid I far more than like him," I said, continuing to chuckle to myself. Another chime rang outwards from my telephone, and I opened the message with the swipe of a finger.

 _For her? Of course. Tell Angela I'll see her tomorrow._

I smiled upwards at Angela, pleased that I would be able to deliver some good news to her.

"He says that he will see you tomorrow. I suppose I will too for that matter," I said smiling at Angela, happy to be able to assist her, and happy to have yet an even greater chance of showing the world who Edward truly was. She smiled back at me brilliantly. It felt good to be able to repay Angela in some small way for everything she had done for me, and for us, and yet I realized that even as I repaid her favor, she was doing me yet an even bigger favor. She was taking the world behind the curtain of the most incredible man that I had ever known.


	26. Chapter 26

"Are you sure I look alright?" I asked him, knowing that he would inevitably overshadow me no matter how put together I was, but still wishing to make the contrast less apparent, if that was in any way possible.

"As I have already told you several times this morning, you look unbelievably exquisite," he said, his velvet voice ringing with sincerity. I certainly hoped that I looked presentable, and as always, Alice had offered to take the reins of preparing my appearance that morning, though whether it was because she did not trust me to do so myself, or if it was simply because she was able to achieve the same results with an impossible amount of speed I was entirely unsure. I felt the truth was likely a small amount of both of those reasons. No matter the justification, Alice had made herself available to me that morning, transforming me as always into a woman that I did not normally appear to be. I wore an incredible grey coat, which somehow even through the thickness of its fabric, managed to contour to my every curve, and a patterned grey and blue scarf that she claimed truly presented the color of my eyes. I doubted anyone could get chocolate brown to present well with anything, but I still appreciated the thought.

"If you say so," I said softly, inhaling a deep lungful of painfully cold air as I glanced upwards to meet his burning golden gaze. Edward looked as striking as ever, adorned as he was in a beige turtleneck sweater jacket, which buttoned up along the right side of his body. As always, it clung to the perfectly sculpted shape of him, and as I frequently did, I wished to find a place that I could have him all to myself, to rid his incredible form of its concealing layers. I exhaled deliberately, attempting to calm myself, knowing that I was doing Angela a favor, and not allowing my discomfort to turn me away. The very idea of being before cameras made me incredibly uncomfortable, as I felt it would put even more scrutiny upon my words and actions than already existed about me normally.

"You'll be fine Bella. I'll be right beside you the entire time," Edward told me reassuringly, wrapping his arm about my waist as his other hand reached for the door before us. As we entered the building a torrent of warm air poured around us, and I welcomed its delightful embrace. We had stepped into a small cozy room with the letters WLFU printed across the back wall. I had never been inside the campus television station before, as I had never had a reason to be prior to this, although I was aware that at some point in time with my journalism major, I would be required to take a television production course. I supposed at least in this way I would be slightly familiar with the equipment when the time finally came to take the class. My eyes darted about the room, the stillness of the air contributing to my unease. I glanced upwards at Edward, attempting to allow his flawless features to wash the apprehension from my body. He smiled downward at me once more, almost as though he were cognizant of the calming effect that he had upon me. At that moment, Angela stepped through the doorway on the left hand side of the room, smiling brilliantly at us.

"Bella! Edward! Thank you so very much for coming," Angela said, positively beaming at us as she briskly crossed the room, extending her arms towards us and embracing the two of us simultaneously, as Edward's arm was still wrapped immovably about my waist. I couldn't help but smile beneath her warmth, and I felt some measure of my apprehension temporarily exit my core, allowing me to breath slightly easier.

"Of course Angela," I said, smiling widely in her direction as she released us. She gestured for the two of us to follow her through the doorway on the left side of the small entry area, and I noted that she seemed to be genuinely excited, something that I found rather odd. I had never before seen her appear to be genuinely excited about any of the work she did for the Audio Visual Program in the past. She led us down a long, uneventful grey hallway for quite some time, as we passed various production offices and editing rooms, turning several corners as they came to us. I imagined that it would certainly be quite easy to become lost in the labyrinth that was the television building.

"So Bella…" Angela said, turning about to face us after the lengthy walk through the corridors of the building, "…you will be over here in studio A with me," She said, gesturing to the door on her left side.

"And Edward, you'll be over there in studio B with Ben," she said smiling encouragingly, gesturing to the door on her right. My eyes flew open widely, as the wicked grip of apprehension tightened impossibly about my windpipe, striking me in the chest with unrelenting force. All of the reassurances that Edward had given me, that I had given myself, knowing that I would be in his calming presence throughout this horrifying experience, instantaneously evaporated, leaving me with no power to push back at the unrelenting force of my own anxiety.

"Wait – what?" I asked, my eyes darting frantically up towards Edward for the slightest of moments before I glanced back down at Angela with unconcealed dread. She stared back at me with sudden alarm.

"Bella, what's the matter?" She asked, stepping closer to me, her eyes wide with worry. My eyes darted back upwards to lock solidly into Edward's, and simply by the expression that was gracing his features, I knew that he comprehended the cause of my sudden dismay. He smiled lightly at me, a soothing expression washing across his face, his hand suddenly tightening about mine as he nodded downward at me in encouragement.

"I …" I began, turning my gaze once again upon Angela, whose face was entirely contorted with concern.

"… I just – I thought we were being interviewed – together?" I managed to choke out through the impenetrable wall of my own horror. Edward's hands both moved to my shoulders, pressing gently downward into my body, grounding me in place, allowing me to once again pull myself in, to stop the snowball from careening wildly down the slope.

"Oh," Angela said, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Um – Yes. Sorry I should have mentioned that. It's simply more effective for telling the story if the viewer gets to hear two entirely different perspectives of what occurred. It helps the audience to feel that what's being told to them is more genuine if the two of you are interviewed separately. Is – Is that alright with you Bella?" Angela said, glancing at me cautiously. I had hardly had a moment to process Angela's words when Edward suddenly appeared before me, stooping down to exactly my height to meet me directly with the unrelenting power of his golden gaze.

"Bella," he whispered so softly that I felt almost entirely certain that Angela, who stood behind him no more than a few feet away, would be entirely unable to hear him. I nodded my head at him, not daring to pull my gaze away from his mesmerizing stare.

"Bella, I know that you can do this…" he said softly, "…and I think you know that as well," he whispered, his gaze melting into mine, burning away the fear that was making its best attempt to consume me. He was correct of course. I could overcome this obstacle. I could do this, and I should do this, for Angela, and even more so, for him. I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes for a moment before reopening them into his.

"Bella, you don't have to do this if you wish not to," Angela said softly, watching me from over Edward's shoulder. The moment she spoke them I knew her words to be true. If I wished to walk away from her in that very moment, and renege on my promise to her, she would not judge me for it. For that reason alone, I knew that the only good choice that I had was to stay. Angela deserved as much, and so did Edward.

"No – I'm alright," I said, glancing up at her, attempting to keep my breathing steady, and to calm my pounding heart.

"Let's just get this over with," I said with a light smile, exhaling heavily, attempting to push the fear entirely clear of my mind. Edward stood before me, smiling softly down at me, and I could almost see the pride glistening in his eyes as I prepared myself for something that to me seemed almost unthinkable.

"If you need me, for any reason, I'll be right through those doors," Edward said to me, his voice as warm and sweet as honey, gesturing to the double doors that led to studio B.

"Thanks," I whispered, glancing up at him with the slightest semblance of a smile.

"I love you," I said.

"And I you," he said softly.

"Now don't be alarmed if you feel your ears begin to burn. It's likely because I'm talking about you," he said, with a chuckle, smiling crookedly down at me. I rolled my eyes at him in amusement, pushing both of my hands into the firmness of his chest, shoving him back from me.

"You're a dork," I said, laughing as I turned away from him to follow Angela as she opened the door to Studio A.

"Yes, but I'm your dork," he said, and I could see the exact grin that he likely wore across his flawless face as clearly in my mind as I would have had I spun about in that very moment. He was indeed correct in his statement. He was my dork.

The air was rather cool inside the grand almost entirely dark room which we had entered and I couldn't help myself but to look about, for I had never been inside of a working studio before. The room was large, and very tall, with a massive cyclorama style black curtain running about the entire back end of the space. I could smell the scent of burning dust hanging in the air, and the blinding lights were all focused downward upon a single chair which sat in the center of the far end of the room, behind which an enormous lime green piece of fabric was erected nearly from ceiling to floor. There were several cameras aimed in the direction of the chair, although only one of them had a red light illuminated on the top. Angela guided me to a spot just beside the camera, in the more dimly illuminated half of the grand space. She walked towards two men, who were wearing headsets, retrieving a headset of her own from one of them, a tall and very handsome man with a full beard, though he could not have been more than a few years older than myself. The other man stood with a clipboard beside the man with the beard, and he also had an incredibly handsome face, and was smiling at Angela widely before he suddenly noticed me, and his eyes grew wide. I noted in the back of my mind that there certainly seemed to be a large quantity of rather attractive men in the Audio Visual program at Lakefront, though of course none of them could compare with Edward. Still, Angela seemed to have had a great number of choices when selecting who she wanted. I couldn't help but ponder why she had chosen Ben. Perhaps someday, she would share that with me.

"Oh my god! Is that…" The second man started, staring at me in complete bewilderment.

"Bella, this is Nick," Angela said, gesturing to the man with the beard, who was now also staring at me with wide eyes.

"… and this is Justin," she said gesturing to the man with the clipboard who was fanning himself with his hand.

"I can't even believe this is happening," Justin said in a deep, yet very inflected voice, throwing his hands upwards over his face. I stared at him with utter confusion, my eyebrow raised pointedly above my features.

"Babe, you're being rude," Nick said as though he were embarrassed, stroking Justin's arm in a gentle, soothing motion. Perhaps I had been mistaken; perhaps Angela had not had quite as many options as I had presumed.

"Could somebody please tell me what is happening?" I said, staring at the three of them with complete perplexity. Angela raised her eyebrow at the two men, apparently just as confused as I was.

"It's just – well everyone knows her Angela. I didn't think that you'd be doing your interview project about somebody famous," Justin said, his mouth agape as he stared at me. I couldn't help but laugh at him as the preposterous nonsense spewed from his mouth.

"What are you talking about," I said between my fits of laughter.

"I'm not famous at all. I'm just a normal girl," I said, my mouth agape with incredulity. Nick smiled at me warmly as Justin turned away, covering his mouth yet again, seeming to be completely overwhelmed.

"Sweetie, you're just as famous around this campus now as the Cullen's. There isn't anyone out there who doesn't want to know every single thing about you," Nick said, raising his eyebrow above his confident smirk, emphasizing each word.

"You mark my words, you may not realize it yet, but you have become one of Lakefront's most prominent people," He said with a grin of self-assuredness.

"I don't understand," I admitted sheepishly.

"I became famous, simply because of who I fell in love with?" I said, raising an eyebrow at him in skepticism.

"Bella, everyone knows who you are without knowing anything about you. If I do this right, not only will you be well known, but you'll be recognized for the incredible woman that you truly are, and I hope so will Edward," Angela said with a radiant smile. I smiled back at her appreciatively, realizing yet again that while this project would indeed benefit her, it could potentially be of far greater benefit to Edward and myself.

"Her hunk is here too!" Justin practically shouted, and Nick gasped in amazement. I couldn't help but smile at their ridiculous antics, but I also could not deny that they were also delightfully adorable.

"Can we get this over with please?" I asked with a chuckle, and Angela smiled at me.

At Angela's direction, Justin and Nick taught me where to look so that I would not accidentally look directly into the camera, and Angela positioned a tiny microphone directly on the lapel of my sweater, for I had removed my jacket upon their request.

"You look absolutely gorgeous honey!" Justin told me repeatedly as I sat in my chair before the camera. As it turned out Angela would not even be asking me any questions during the interview, as she felt that my relationship with her was personal enough that it may skew my answers. While I understood her logic, it also increased my sense of apprehension even further, as I was now entirely stripped of both the comfort of Angela, and the comfort of Edward. I was entirely alone to face this challenge, but I knew that I must, for my new life would require me to have courage, and to have faith in myself. There would be no better test then where I was currently. I heard Angela's voice erupt over the public address system, echoing about the soundstage as though she were the voice of god booming down from the heavens.

"Speed," she said from inside the control room.

"And five, four, three, two, action!" her voice boomed. I glanced upwards at Justin, who sat just to the left of the camera, being careful not to allow my eyes to dart over at its watchful lens. I could see Nick just behind the camera, diligently staring the monitor that was attached to it with his headpiece on.

"Why don't you introduce yourself first," Justin said, smiling at me. I inhaled deeply, imagining that Edward was standing behind him, reassuring me with his passionate gaze.

"I'm – Bella Swan," I said, but Justin was moving his hands in a tumbling motion, encouraging me to elaborate.

"I'm a freshman here at Lakefront," I continued. He continued to motion to me.

"Although I'm sure that most of you watching this know me for a very different reason than that," I said, and Justin's face lit with excitement.

"That's right, call them out girl," he said with a smirk.

"Now why don't you tell us about what happened to you last week," he said, gazing at me wildly.

"Well – um – we went out into the city to celebrate…" I began but Justin interrupted me.

"Why were you celebrating?" He asked me. I inhaled deeply, before exhaling, being incredibly careful about exactly what I was saying.

"We were celebrating – Edward losing his job actually?" I said, raising my eyebrow at him, though I could barely distinguish him in the shadows, for the lights shining upon me were so blinding.

"Why do you think he lost his job?" He asked me. I stared at him, allowing a smirk to form over my face to hide my true apprehension.

"I think you can ask him all about that one," I said with a grin. Justin nodded his head, likely realizing that he would not make any progress with me on that front.

"So what exactly happened when you were out celebrating?" He asked, and I could see the faint outline of a smile gracing his features.

"Well – I suppose the simple answer to that is that a man tried to drug me. He tried to abduct me actually," I said, staring at him intently. I saw his eyes widen and his jaw slacken as he was struck by my unexpected answer, and I could see in my periphery Nick staring at me in bewilderment. I realized then that neither of them had read my article, and that Angela had not told them what they were actually interviewing me about. She had simply given Justin some questions as a guideline, questions that I felt certain were written out upon the clipboard that sat in his lap. He did not know what answers I was about to give him, and I realized instantly that Angela was a genius. There was simply no better way to capture authenticity then to not reveal what was coming to the person conducting my interview. It allowed me to truly tell my story in as unedited of a capacity as I could. She was brilliant.

"Oh my god! What happened?" Justin said, his eyes widened in shock.

"Edward saved me," I said simply, smiling ever so slightly at him, though my smile felt weighted by my own guilt. Justin simply stared at me, seeming to forget entirely that it was his job to continue the conversation. I raised an eyebrow at him expectantly.

"He saved you?" he asked.

"How so?" He raised an eyebrow at me in in the darkness, leaning forwards towards me, absorbing every word that I spoke.

"He um – he fought for me – even when the man drew a knife on him – he threw me behind him, and put himself between me and my attacker," I said, my throat seeming to suddenly swell shut beneath the weight of my memories, seeing the glistening blade me before me once more, with Edward's powerful body shielding me from it. I felt a crushing grip tighten about me at the mere thought of the incident.

"Was he hurt," Justin asked, still entirely bewildered, his voice sounding nearly breathless.

"Yes," I whispered, barely able to force the word from my lips and I saw Justin tremble ever so slightly beneath the weight of it.

"It was nothing severe or life threatening, but it easily could have been," I said, meeting his anxious gaze, as he seemed to be entirely taken by surprise by where his interview had led him. I inhaled deeply yet again, in an attempt to keep my voice from trembling.

"How – How did that make you feel – seeing him do that?" He asked, his eyes fixed upon me, leaning so far forward that his face was practically in front of the camera lens. I sighed, trying to figure out how to best answer a question that was so entirely complicated.

"I'm afraid that I don't have a straightforward answer for that," I admitted. Justin continued to stare at me intensely, absorbing my every word.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"It's just that, on one hand it's almost heroic I suppose – or at least it sounds like it should be heroic, and don't misunderstand, Edward is incredibly chivalrous. He always has been. He truly is a perfect gentleman. But you have to understand, doing something like what he did – it doesn't feel heroic," I said, staring at him imploringly, hoping to make him understand, and by extension, hoping to make everyone understand.

"I want you to imagine watching the man you love throw himself before a deadly weapon, standing before it as though he has no regard for his own safety, knowing that in the blink of an eye everything that you love, everything that you adore about him, could be gone. Tell me, in that scenario, do you think that you are worth it?" I asked, staring at Justin as intensely as I was capable of. I saw his eyes glance upwards towards Nick, and I could see his answer in his loving gaze. He agreed with me. Nothing was worth losing the one that you adored; not even losing yourself. After a long moment of staring upwards at Nick, Justin's gaze shifted down to the paper once more before again looking up at me to meet my eyes, which I felt certain were full of weight, and sorrow.

"Bella – If you could tell everyone else something about Edward, if you could share just one thing about him, what would you tell them?" he asked. I inhaled deeply, knowing that this was my final opportunity to show the world who Edward truly was, the man that none of them knew existed, the man that I had the pleasure of spending my time with every day. And yet, having been presented with such an opportunity, I found myself at a loss for words. I stared blankly forward, searching every inch of my mind for the words that I wished to speak, but I could not find them. It was at that moment that I came to the realization that I was searching for what I needed in the wrong place. My love for Edward did not lie in my head, but rather, in my heart, and so for the first time in a very long time, I allowed myself to stop thinking, and focus only on the feelings I held. I reached inward towards the fire that I felt burning within me, and prepared myself to let it shine outwards to the world.

"I would tell you the reason that I fell in love with him, the things about him that nobody else seems to realize. That he is kind, compassionate, gentle, chivalrous, intelligent, and honestly the most thoughtful and incredible man that I have ever met," I said, glancing downward at my hands as a humbling feeling settled over me. I almost could not believe that he truly was mine.

"He isn't what you think he is. In all honesty, he is far more interesting than anything that rumors could ever create," I said staring at Justin, feeling my fire flood forth through the room with enough power that I felt I could nearly materialize Edward solely from my memories.

"Cut!" I heard Angela's voice boom outward over the speakers as though it were echoing from the heavens. I felt a rush of air flood from my lungs as I heard Angela's voice reverberate around the room, throwing my head backwards to gaze up at the blinding lights above me. I saw Justin stand abruptly, practically throwing his chair out from under him in his haste, and turn to Nick, throwing his arms about him unexpectedly. Nick and Justin embraced each other fully, holding each other firmly as they rocked from side to side in their embrace.

"I love you," I heard Justin say softly to Nick.

"I love you too," he replied, leaning forward to meet lips with the man that he held in his arms. I couldn't help myself but to feel warm inside, as a thought suddenly crossed my mind. Perhaps love was contagious. Perhaps all people needed in life was to contract it, and that once they did, the world about them would never be the same. I heard the door to the control room open with a click, and I saw Angela step through the doorway positively beaming at me.

"Bella – that was incredible," she said, excitement filling her tone as she crossed the empty space towards me. I smiled at her with warmth, my heart still filled with the adoration that I was witnessing before me.

"Really?" I asked, having felt that overall I sounded far too aloof for what I had been trying to convey.

"Bella – there won't be a person at Lakefront who can deny that you love Edward after seeing that," she said, the smile of a proud parent smeared across her face. I couldn't help but smile at her.

"Do you truly believe it will be that effective?" I asked, hope swelling within me for the first time since I had entered the building. I clung to it tenaciously, not wanting to ever release the warm feeling that seemed to have escaped me for so long.

"Well, I suppose its effectiveness depends on how Edward's interview turns out, but what you gave me was pure gold Bella," she said with a smile, waving me up the stairs towards the booth.

"Justin, Nick, come on. We need to review the footage before Bella leaves," Angela said, staring softly at them, seeming to gain as much warmth from their moment as I did. I followed the three of them up the short set of stairs and into the control room. Across every surface, and seemingly every wall there were nothing but computers and monitors, and large machines covered in more buttons than I could ever comprehend what to do with. It looked more like the bridge of a spaceship than it did a television studio. Across the large monitor in the center of the room was a video of me, speaking to someone just off camera. I had to admit, through some sorcery of the television screen, I looked entirely unlike myself. I was absolutely beautiful. I smiled, feeling altogether better about myself, feeling significantly less ashamed of being seen in conjunction with Edward if that was truly how I appeared. I then noticed a smaller monitor in the far corner of the room, which had numerous feeds from numerous cameras. I found my eyes immediately drawn to the corner of that monitor, to a square that was labeled: Studio B Feed, for their, inside of the tiny display box was Edward's glorious face, talking animatedly, though I could not hear what he was saying over the sound of my own voice, emanating from the primary monitor.

"I can't believe you're hitting that," Nick said, his eyes having traced my gaze to the small display in the corner of the monitor. I felt my eyes widen a tad and my jaw dropped in amusement as I turned to stare at him. Justin was gazing past me towards the display in the corner that I had just been watching.

"My god Nick," Angela said, her tone both appalled and reprimanding all at once.

"Who said I'm hitting that?" I asked with a jovial smirk, staring at him playfully. Nick looked at me with playful skepticism.

"Sweetie, nobody talks about a man the way you just did unless they are hitting it," he said with a playful smirk, and I couldn't help but chuckle at him, my smile becoming errantly mischievous.

"Well if you aren't then I volunteer," Justin said, and I felt myself erupt with laughter. Angela and Nick joined me as well as Justin continued to salivate watching the screen in the corner, though I realized that he was not honestly eying up Edward as much as he was simply being amusing. An idea suddenly crossed my mind as I stared back downwards at the tiny display in the corner of the monitor.

"Is there any way to hear what he is saying?" I asked, my eyes darting over to Angela with curiosity. Her expression suddenly became hesitant.

"I mean, we really shouldn't…" she began, but I interrupted her.

"Angela – I live with him. Do you really think he is going to say something in a recorded interview that he wouldn't say to me in person?" I asked her, raising an eyebrow in her direction. She stared at me for a moment, before shrugging her shoulders at me.

"I suppose you're right," she admitted, toggling a few switches with her fingers. She pressed a large blue button and Edward suddenly appeared on the massive monitor before us. The magic and splendor that the camera had done for my complexion, it had certainly also done for Edward's, as he looked more angelic than any man should. In that moment, he could have easily equaled any movie star, or any supermodel in the world for he looked so entirely flawless displayed across the screen, his bronze hair shimmering sleekly in the light. I could see his flawless lips moving across the screen, but his words were still muted. I turned to glance at Angela with a questioning look, but her eyes were focused upon Justin.

"Audio! Audio!" she said, loudly, looking at him with frustration, an expression that I rarely saw cross Angela's features. Justin slid something upward across one of the control boards and Edward's voice suddenly filled the room, though the speakers did not do justice to the velvet smooth texture of it, simply leaving him sounding like any deep spoken man.

… the way it was," he said, his eyes darting up from his hands to look at someone off camera, their golden depths showing up with incredible vibrancy on the screen before me. I smiled as I stared at the screen, wishing that I could run to him, to cross the hallway into the next room and feel his body pressed against mine.

"Aww," I heard Justin say from the chair below me. I glanced downwards at him with an eyebrow raised.

"The way you look at him is really sweet," he said, smiling warmly at me. I shook my head, chuckling to myself and turning my attention back to the monitors.

"Were you afraid?" I heard a muffled voice ask from somewhere behind the camera.

"Was I afraid?" Edward reiterated, nodding at the invisible producer as though they had lost their mind entirely, his eyebrow raised.

"No, not in the slightest," he responded, his eyes intent and honest.

"What was it that possessed you to defend her? You must have known that you were risking your life," the muffled voice asked him, and I saw the edges of his mouth tug upwards into a smirk, as he raised his eyebrow at the unseen man, cocking his head slightly to the side.

"You've never been in love have you?" He asked rhetorically, staring down the invisible interviewer.

"I would have thought the answer to your query to be rather apparent. How could I not defend her when she needed defending? I couldn't just stand by and allow that man to do what I knew he intended to do. Not to Bella," he said, suddenly staring outward into space. He paused for a moment, saying nothing.

"Before I met Bella, it was like I was a person who had gone my entire life without ever hearing music. Sure there is noise, and talking, and the bustle of a busy street, but when I met her, it was like hearing the sound of rain falling against the leaves for the first time, like I could hear the songs of the birds that fill the air in the spring, the sound of a brook babbling its way through a forest. All about me, where the world used to hold only silence, I now can hear nothing but the most magnificent song that I could have ever imagined. Bella is that song for me, and now that I've heard its melody, I don't wish to ever hear the silence ever again," He said, his gaze overwhelmingly intense even through the camera.

"So when I saw her in danger, I couldn't think about my own safety. It simply didn't matter that I was risking my life, for anymore, she is my life. If I had allowed harm to befall her, it would certainly have ended my life, so – I simply saw my odds as being better if I fought for her, for then at least I had a chance at living," he said, his face serious as he stared pensively out into space, his words seeming to ring through the air. The air about the control room seemed to be almost deathly still as I stared at the monitor, before I glanced around, absorbing the awestruck faces of Justin, Nick, and Angela. Justin's eyes seemed to glisten with moisture about the lower brim of them, and Nick was lovingly rubbing his shoulders from behind. I could barely contain my leaping heart as I felt it wrap about the words that Edward had spoken, words that the entire world would soon hear. My gaze landed upon Angela, who was staring at the monitor with unconcealed warmth in her eyes.

"I don't suppose we should worry about Edward's interview not being sufficient," Angela whispered as I continued to gaze at her. I knew that she should have known better than to doubt Edward, but I had to admit that even I was entirely overwhelmed by the passion that accented his every word, and the sincerity that laced his every expression. That was the true essence of the man that I had fallen in love with, and now it was captured plainly for the entire world to see.

"Is that good enough?" I asked Angela, a quaint smile turning up the edges of my lips,

"Bella – If that isn't good enough, I don't believe that there is anything that will be," she responded softly.

"Bella honey, by this time next week, this whole school is going to be at your feet," Justin said, raising an eyebrow as he looked up at me.

"Both of you," he emphasized. I sighed, wishing that such a turnaround was actually possible, but knowing that it was incredibly unlikely.

"I suppose we shall see," I said, allowing my eyes to burn into the image of Edward that was frozen before me.

"We shall see."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: This chapter features strongly rated T material that may not be suitable for those under the age of the 14.**

* * *

Though my skepticism made me reluctant to admit it, Justin had been entirely correct in his assumptions. The moment my article was published and Angela's project was released to the school, the entire world about Edward and myself seemed to shift. No longer were the headlines that graced the paper stands and bulletin boards derogatory, or deprecating of Edward, myself, or the Cullen's at large. Instead, headlines about the majesty of love, sacrifice, bravery, and the depth of its impact seemed to bloom from the wreckage of Edward's previously disgraced reputation. It seemed as though overnight we had become something of an entity in public, with people wishing us well at every turn, and down every path, at every hour of the day. I had on multiple occasions over the last few weeks had complete strangers approach me to either tell me how lucky I was to have a man such as Edward, or to tell me how lucky he was to have a woman such as me. Some people that I had known in my lifetime would have likely reveled in the endless amounts of attention that I now received on a daily basis, and the praise that I received from passersby. But as for me personally, I rather despised the public scrutiny of it all. I could in no way fathom what it was that suddenly made me so entirely interesting to the student body of Lakefront University. I had to stop on several occasions to ask myself if this was how Alice felt at all times, being constantly surrounded by others who were either seeking approval, seeking recognition, or seeking advice. I found it to be a rather tiring ordeal, and happily handed over all of the login information for my various social media channels to Alice, allowing her to effectively maintain my public image, while allowing me to have a reprieve from the constant onslaught of messages, as my followings seemed to have nearly quadrupled overnight through some sort of wizardry. Alice seemed oddly excited about the prospect of getting to play the part of myself online, something that I felt was likely because she simply enjoyed socialization far too much to pass up such an opportunity. I felt thankful to call her a friend, and I wondered if there would ever be anyway that I could possibly repay her. It was that very evening, as we were about to depart our home to drive up the shore to the Cullen Estate for Thanksgiving dinner, that the most ludicrous statement that I had ever heard erupted from her lips.

"You know Bella, I feel like after I graduate in the spring, you may be the one who ends up filling my shoes at Lakefront," she said absently, pulling her coat down off of the rack by the front door. I felt my eyes snap open in shock as I stared at her.

"I beg your pardon?" I said in stunned bewilderment.

"Really Bella, don't act like you are so surprised," she said with a light, musical laugh.

"You and I both know that you have quickly become one of the most powerful women on campus. Your name has stopping power, you have your fair share of secrets to hide and the wisdom to know when to wield them, and you seem to have no trouble at all with getting people to do what you want," she said with conviction, raising an eyebrow at me as if to challenger her assertion.

"Alice that's hardly all it takes to be you. I could never in a hundred years do some of the things that you have managed to pull off," I said, staring at her in awe, as she threw her scarf about her neck and I retrieved my coat.

"Bella, I never said that you had to be _me_ , just that you are the most likely candidate to be my successor that's all," she said, rolling her eyes with a smirk.

"Trust me, whether you believe me or not, it's bound to happen," she said, chuckling as all of the color drained from my face. The already excessive amounts of attention that I had been receiving lately had already become nearly unbearable. I wanted absolutely no part of garnering any more additional social obligations than was already necessary.

"Oh lay off of her Alice. Can't you see that you're making her uncomfortable," Edward's velvet voice said from over my shoulder as I placed my coat about my body and wrapped myself in the warmth of my scarf.

"It's your _destiny_ ," Alice replied dramatically, waving her outstretched fingers above me as though she were some sort of carnival fortune teller. I rolled my eyes at her chuckling.

"Don't worry, you don't have to ride with them," Edward said softly behind me. Alice's eyes darted upwards at him with offense.

"Really Edward? You aren't going to ride with us just because I'm having a bit of fun?" She said, staring at her brother with an expression of incredulous castigation.

"No," Edward controverted.

"We aren't going to ride with you because tonight we need to stay at the house to get in some additional hand to hand training after dinner," He said pragmatically.

"Oh," Alice replied, clearly surprised and entirely unprepared for Edward's answer.

"Is that all you have to say?" Edward asked smirking at her.

"I suppose that is allowable," Alice said lightly, entirely ignoring her brother's latest remark.

She opened the door before her and the frigid wind swept inwards through the opening with a fury, brushing my hair from my face entirely and seeming to burn my skin with its bitter fingers. I wrapped my coat tightly about my body, darting quickly across the concrete slab, towards the car, feeling Edward's hand resting lightly upon my back as I went.

Upon entering the car, I made sure to call my mother and father in order to wish them a happy Thanksgiving. Renee seemed to be having a wonderful time with Phil in sunny Florida. They had gone walking along the beach earlier that day and when I had called her they were in route to a small French restaurant somewhere in downtown. I was happy that she had Phil to spend her holiday with. She sounded as though she were truly content with the direction that life had taken her as of late. I certainly knew that I was.

When I spoke to Charlie he had told me that he was about to drive down to the La Push Indian Reservation in order to have dinner with Sue Clearwater and her children. I felt incredibly pleased that he would not be spending Thanksgiving alone. He inquired about my thanksgiving plans, and in order to avoid an unpleasant bombardment of questions about Edward and my relationship with him, I simply elected to tell him that I was going to Thanksgiving dinner with some good friends. He seemed to be satisfied with that answer.

By the time I had finished speaking with Renee and Charlie, Edward had already pulled us through the large bronze gates and I found us speeding through the now leafless woods that surrounded his driveway. The grounds no longer were as spectacularly ornate as they had been at my first sight of them, for the grass and trees were all now varying shades of brown, and the water features no longer flowed down the hillside away from the estate, having been drained for the winter to prevent any damage from occurring to them when they froze solid. Edward pulled the Lamborghini to a halt just outside of the garage, along the beautiful stone driveway before the mansion, and was out of the car in a flash, walking about to the passenger side door to open it for me, offering his hand to me, which I accepted, allowing him to pull me powerfully from the car. I stood before him, the bitterly cold air whipping over us, unable to touch the wondrous warmth that surrounded us as we stood, frozen in time before one another. There was not a day that passed by that I did not wish to allow him to know how much I adored him and though the world about us might have been frozen and dead, my draw to him would be forever alive. Of that I was certain.

"It's good to see you again Bella," Carlisle greeted me from the doorway as we made our way towards the entryway, extending his arms outwards towards me before embracing me ever so lightly.

"Happy Thanksgiving Carlisle," I told him, smiling upwards at his warm expression.

"Hey Carlisle," Edward said, embracing his father powerfully in his arms.

"You've arrived just in time. Dinner is just about ready," Carlisle said, ushering us into the warmth of the grand foyer, if you could truly call any room of such dimension a foyer.

"Esme's spent all morning in the kitchen, but everything seemed to be just about ready when I saw her a few moments ago. If you'd like, feel free to head to the dining room. The others are already waiting there," Carlisle said. Edward nodded respectfully at his father before wrapping his hand about my waist and guiding me toward the archway on the right side of the grand foyer. We traversed a short hallway, before turning to the left, entering a grand circular room of incredible height, with large towering marble columns lining the walls equidistant from one another about the edge of the room. In the center of the room was a large, circular wooden table, overtop of which hung an incredible crystal chandelier. It looked as though it were a dining room that one would find in a grand palace, intended to serve royalty as opposed to common folk like me. I would have felt entirely out of place sitting within such a splendid space were it not for the kind, playful faces of Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett already sitting about the table, talking animatedly amongst themselves, though Rosalie instantly ceased her participation in their conversation the moment that we entered the room, an expression of pure indignation instantly flashing across her face. The others ignored her entirely. Alice's eyes darted to Edward the moment we entered the room.

"It's nice of you to finally show up," she said with a playful smirk.

"You know, for having the fastest car of all of us, you certainly drive like a senior citizen," she said jovially, raising her eyebrow at him. Emmett across the table pretended to hold a steering wheel in the air while squinting his eyes, attempting to see as I would imagine that an old woman might while driving. I let a small chuckle loose from my lips.

"I'm transporting far more precious cargo than I used to," Edward said, looking down at me with a soft, tender smile. I couldn't help but smile back at him, before I felt the blush of crimson begin to work its way up my cheeks, and I forced myself to look down to avoid the ridicule of his family. He walked us over to two of the eight chairs that lined the circumference of the table, graciously pulling out the chair next to Alice for me, as opposed to the chair beside Rosalie. I could not be certain, but I had the distinct feeling that she did not care for me in the slightest, though I had absolutely no idea why, for I had done nothing to her. I had never even spoken to her.

After a few more moments of light banter, an incredible smell began to waft through the air. Just as I began to gaze about, searching for its origin, Esme and Carlisle appeared in the entryway to the grand dining room, pushing before them two large carts covered with every sort of food imaginable, and I suddenly recalled what Edward had once told me about Esme being a spectacular chef. He had told me that it was one of her true passions in life, and now, looking at the grand meal that was being placed upon the table, I came to the realization that he had been in no way exaggerating. There were plates of cranberry sauce, green beans and smoked chicken, corn on the cobb and cream corn. Next she arranged platters of macaroni salad, and potato salad on either side of the table, and then placed upon pedestals, apple pie, pumpkin pie, apple and blueberry cobblers, an assortment of pastries, and banana cream pudding to top it all off. Finally, at long last, she placed the perfectly baked golden turkey in the very center of the table and placed four bottles of wine at opposite corners of the table. Carlisle rolled the carts back out into the hallway and took his seat beside Edward. Esme remained standing before her grand creations, gazing lovingly about at her family.

"I am thankful on this day, as I always am, for the love, support, and kindness of my family. I am thankful for my dear husband, a man whose compassion I have never found paralleled. I am thankful for my children, each and every day, and I am ever so proud of whom you have become. I am thankful for Rosalie, for being able to handle Emmett far more frequently than the rest of us," Esme said, and the table chuckled at her with wide smiles, as Rosalie looked upwards at Esme, beaming with gratitude, before once again staring down at the table expressionless.

"I am thankful for Jasper, for teaching our family how to survive in this world, for constantly watching out for us, and for both protecting and cherishing my baby girl," she said, and he glanced upwards at her with incredible respect.

"It's the least I can do ma'am," he responded in his ever so slight southern dialect, nodding his head like a perfect gentleman. Esme smiled at him, though Alice looked so incredibly embarrassed that it appeared as though she were calculating the odds of her being able to escape without being noticed.

"Finally, on this day of thanks, I am thankful for the newest addition to our family, Bella. Thanks to you, I have seen my son find a happiness the likes of which I had only but hoped for in the past. You have changed him for the better, made him a better man, and I hope to see you before me on many more occasions my dear," she said, staring at me with true adoration. I couldn't help the overwhelming warmth that spread through every ounce of my body as I stared up at her with gratitude, with appreciation, with love.

"Thank you so much Esme," I whispered, positively beaming at her. She nodded her head sweetly in my direction.

"With that said – dinner is served," she announced. The family about me had no hesitation at her words, and immediately began to fill their plates with the incredible foods that had been placed before us, almost as though they had never eaten a meal in their life. The meal began rather peacefully and the food was, of course, absolutely delectable. It may have been the single best meal that I had ever eaten in my life, as there was no single item that was anything other than spectacular. I had difficulty selecting where to begin so I simply followed Edward's lead, following his eye about the table. I saw Emmett eyeing jasper from across the table suspiciously, something I felt entirely certain that Jasper had also noticed. Without warning, I saw a white blur fly across the table, having been launched from Emmett's spoon, heading in a direct trajectory for Jasper's face. Jasper's hand moved like lightning as he caught the white blur perfectly in his hand, revealing the blur to be a glob of mashed potatoes, which he quickly wiped from his palm with a napkin.

"Really Emmett?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at his future brother in law from across the table. Emmett snickered at him.

"Is this really how you want to play?" Jasper asked him nodding his head.

"Perhaps we should settle this in the ring after dinner," Emmett said in a low, mischievous voice.

"Everything has to be a fight with you doesn't it," Jasper sighed.

"Alright, sure," Jasper conceded, nodding at an obviously pleased Emmett, who was grinning wickedly across the table. I simply glanced back and forth between the men, entirely perplexed by their odd exchange, before glancing upwards at Edward, my questions swimming in my eyes.

"Emmett particularly enjoys hand to hand combat," Edward said, glancing down at me.

"He only enjoys it because he rarely loses, and Emmett is traditionally a very sore loser," Alice added, cocking her head at me before taking more of the scrumptious turkey into her mouth.

"He only wins because of his strength," Jasper said, glaring across the table at Emmett.

"He has no strategy. He simply attacks, so if you can avoid his blows it is entirely possible to defeat him. The problem is, if he lands one hit on you, it is unlikely that you will recover," Jasper said with exasperation. It was apparent to me that Emmett and Jasper must practice hand to hand combat rather frequently.

"Jasper fights smart, which of course isn't fair," Emmett added with a huff.

"Jasper is the most strategic fighter," Edward clarified, smirking slightly at Emmett's obvious frustration. I stared back and forth at the two men, finding it difficult to imagine two men of their stature truly attempting to fight each other. The results had to be catastrophic. Then again, I had only once ever seen Edward fight, and it was entirely terrifying. He had been careful not to use such skill since, instead slowly instructing me on the proper forms and techniques of hand to hand combat. I felt a question form in my mind and it had escaped my lips before I was able to will myself to stop it.

"If Emmett is the strongest, and Jasper is the most strategic, then what are you?" I asked Edward, my eyebrow shooting skyward in concern.

"The lamest," Emmett laughed out. Edward shot him an irritated glance.

"Edward is the fastest," Alice said, beaming at her brother.

"He's very difficult to hit," she said. I felt my mind wrap about that fact. If he was difficult to hit, that meant he was less likely to get hurt, I surmised. This certainly seemed like a good attribute indeed.

"He isn't just fast," Jasper amended.

"He is precise, and his technique is nearly flawless. He can easily advance, strike you, and retreat before you have a chance to counter attack. He's a rather formidable foe," Jasper said, clearly impressed by Edward. I felt a small amount of my tension ease at his remarks. If Jasper, who was the families most experienced fighter, thought Edward to be a formidable foe, I felt that he was likely rather safe in any altercation. I smiled up at him, eyeing his incredible physique with newfound appreciation. He was fast, precise and powerful, and I was all the more awestruck by him.

"Luckily, they have all had very few opportunities to put their skills to the test in real combat, although the few times that they have, they have fended for themselves very effectively," Carlisle said, glancing about the table at his family with caring, yet heavy eyes. I felt another question bubbling to the surface of my mind, and though it may not have been appropriate to ask, I did so anyway, against my better judgement.

"How exactly is it, that you managed to turn your back on so many bad people – helped to incarcerate them even – and yet still live such a normal life. I would think that there would be people lined up around every corner," I said staring absently at the mountains of food still left before us. I gazed upwards to see Carlisle smiling at me warmly.

"You are very astute Bella. That is an incredibly valid question. You see, when my father was killed…" Carlisle began, but I could not contain my interjection.

"Your father was killed?" I asked, my eyes wide in horrified shock.

"Unfortunately, that is the way things work when you mix with the wrong people Bella. People die. But that is beside the point. Power transferred to me, and instead of wielding it as a weapon, I chose to wield it as a shield. I wanted to protect people, and so part of the deal for my assistance with the incarceration of dozens of very dangerous people, was that my identity would be entirely erased, and I would be able to start life anew. That life is what you see here before you Bella. There are very few people who know of my family's past, and I have kept it that way on purpose. If we were easy to find, I find it doubtful that any of us would still be alive," he said, his eyes grave. There was a long period following Carlisle's explanation in which nobody dared to make a sound. At long last Emmett leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head.

"Hell of a dinner conversation," he said, and the table erupted in laughter.

After our dinner concluded, the conversation had died down, and Edward and I had assisted Esme with cleaning up the mess left at the table, Edward dismissed us in order to proceed with my hand to hand combat training. Emmett, of course, had very vocal objections, seeing as how he had intended to use the space to fight with Jasper, but Edward insisted that my training was more important, something with which Emmett reluctantly agreed. Rosalie stared at me with piercing detestation during Edward and Emmett's entire exchange, something that I felt sure did not escape either of their notices. It certainly did not escape mine. I could not help but allow my thoughts to linger over her furious stares as Edward led me through the long, winding corridors which led to the frozen outside world.

"Why does Rosalie hate me?" I asked Edward as we made our way through the frigid brown remains of the majestic gardens that graced the back lawn of the Estate. Edward averted his gaze from me momentarily, looking up at the rapidly darkening sky, which swirled with grey, dreary clouds, looking almost as though it might begin snowing at any moment.

"Ah – you noticed that did you?" he asked me, his voice suddenly heavy. He continued to stare aimlessly out into the distance.

"I mean – it wasn't exactly subtle," I retorted, raising an eyebrow to accentuate my statement. Edward sighed heavily, a swirling cloud bursting from his lips in the frigid winter air.

"Because she's a pigheaded ass," he responded, rolling his eyes. I looked at him, my expression full of dubiety.

"Edward – I know there has to be a reason. I wasn't born yesterday. People don't just instantaneously hate you without a cause," I said, pressing him for information. He gazed down at me with his beautiful eyes, though they were weighted by something heavy. I could see the hesitation in his expression, as his desire to give me the answers that I sought grappled against his self-restraint.

"You can tell me Edward," I said softly, imploring him with my gaze. He exhaled heavily, closing his eyes momentarily as I watched the last of his prudence collapse.

"Rosalie is the only one who feels this way, so don't presume that the rest of my family agrees with her – but she believes that you present an unnecessary risk. You see, she used to work along the same lines of business in which Jasper was involved. She's a professional killer: a former assassin for an agency so classified that I don't even know its name. She sees you, an untrained civilian, with no experience whatsoever, as a risk to the security of her family, and because of that, she is being so asinine that she won't even allow herself the chance to get to know you. She's a monster really," he said, shaking his head in frustration, and though I could not allow him to see it in my face, I knew that Rosalie was correct. I was a liability. I was the weakest link, the chink in the armor, their Achilles heel. I represented a weakness to all of them, and for that I would never forgive myself. I would simply attempt to get stronger, and train harder, until I was no longer a liability. I would train until I was an asset. I would not allow harm to come to her family, to my family. But for the time being, I felt that her hatred was justified, and so I would allow her to harbor it until such a time as it became unjustified.

"Seriously Bella, it's nothing. Just ignore her," he said, shaking away his obvious frustration by throwing me a subtle smile as we approached yet another outbuilding. He again held his finger up to a concealed pad as he had on the door to the firing range, and the door unbolted with a click. We stepped through the white door into a large, fluorescently lit room, the far walls of which were covered entirely with mirrors, and the floor was covered entirely with blue, cushioned mats, looking almost like an incredibly padded dance studio. I realized almost instantaneously what its purpose was. This room was for fighting.

Edward offered me my change of clothes and I disappeared into the bathroom, sliding myself into the far more athletic attire, before reemerging into the main room. Edward had changed as well. He was barefoot, and wore nothing upon his body except for a pair of grey sweatpants, leaving the impressive musculature of his torso entirely exposed. I couldn't help myself as my eyes traced over every perfectly carved line of his body, and I felt my heart rate begin to increase as I stared upon him with my libidinous gaze. He stared at me, his golden eyes seeming to be filled with an inkling of despair, though I could not for the life of me figure out what it was. I stared back at him with unspoken concern, watching his features as his expression shifted, as though he were being tortured by his own thoughts. After a few moments he finally spoke.

"Bella, do you remember when I told you that much of your training would be difficult? That it might even be painful?" he asked, his eyes filled with anguish.

"Yes," I whispered nodding upwards at him, suddenly apprehensive. He gulped.

"I've been attempting to delay this for as long as possible, but I know that I can put it off no longer. Jasper has already told me that if I prove I am incapable, he will step in and take over, and I can only imagine how unnecessarily difficult he will be upon you," he said staring at the ground remorsefully. I wished that I knew how to keep him from feeling such obvious pain but I was aware that I was entirely powerless to do so.

"Bella," he began, his eyes suddenly darting upwards to mine, burning into me with regret.

"I have to train you in hand to hand combat, not just in techniques and maneuvers as I have been instructing you, but in how to actually fight," He said, his tone solemn. He walked over to the wall where long lines of equipment were settled against the ground. He returned with colored pieces that all looked almost like they were equipment that a football player or a martial artist would wear.

"What are those?" I asked, staring up at the agony that filled his eyes.

"Pads," he said, seeming to have to force the word out.

"Bella, for this portion of your training, I am going to have to do something unimaginable, and entirely unforgivable," he said, pausing, his breathing heavy as his face contorted in desolation.

"Bella – I'm going to have to strike you," he said, his voice wavering ever so slightly.

"I'm going to have to attack you as an actual enemy would, and for every moment of it, for every blow that I deliver, I will shatter my heart into pieces, and be eternally at your mercy," he said, his voice but a whisper.

"Forgive me," he said, glancing at me repentantly.

"Forever and always," I replied to him softly, earnestly. He adorned me with a large cushioned headpiece, and a large chest pad, and upon himself wore padded gloves and foot cushions to soften the impact of his blows so as not to hurt me as badly.

"Bella, are you sure that you are prepared for this?" he asked me, meeting my gaze solemnly.

"Yes," I told him, knowing full well that I would never be ready for this moment and simply wishing for it to be over with.

The transformation seemed to happen almost instantly. He stared me down, his eyes suddenly becoming focused and intense as he raised his hands before him, crouching back into a defensive stance, preparing to spring.

"Remember what we have practiced Bella. Get into your stance. Focus on anticipating my movements. We begin at the sound of the buzzer," he said, his eyes frozen over, as I knew he must have been forced to do in order to be able to do what I knew that he must. He must attempt to hurt me, for my own benefit. I stepped my foot backwards into a more balanced stance, and raised my hands upwards protecting my body. The buzzer reverberated about the room.

Edward seemed to disappear so quickly as to be but a blur and as my eyes darted about the room to find him I suddenly felt a tremendous impact against my rib cage, which immediately vacated my lungs of air. I felt my entire body explode with throbbing pain beneath the blow. I felt my legs collapse beneath me and my head strike the ground with powerful force, seeming to barely be dampened by the padding about my skull. I could see nothing but stars about me, as streaks of light danced violently through my field of vision, and I felt an echoing throb of searing hot pain shoot violently through my body as I gasped to regain my breath.

"BELLA," Edward bellowed, appearing before me in a flash, his eyes entirely frantic, his hands shooting upwards, grasping at his face. I clenched my eyes shut momentarily, attempting to focus upon the sparkling colors behind my lids instead of focusing upon my lungs, which were desperately clawing for air.

"Good god! What have I done?" He asked frantically. My lungs were once again beginning to fill with air, and the jolts of light behind my lids were beginning to subside. I opened my eyes to see the torturous pain that was coursing across his perfect, beautiful face, as he clenched his hands powerfully into his hair. It was entirely too much to bear. I could not allow him to know how badly his blow had hurt me. I focused upon my expression, masking the pain as best as I could.

"I'm fine," I managed to croak out through my labored breaths. He stared at me in horror.

"Let's do it again," I said, rolling over onto my stomach and attempting to push myself upright.

"Bella you can't be serious," he said, his voice entirely full of despair. I nodded my head at him.

"Again," I said, attempting again to push myself off of the ground. I felt his arms wrap powerfully about my chest, pulling me effortlessly from the floor in his iron embrace. I felt momentarily unsteady upon my feet as he placed me on the ground, and I glanced upwards at him. He met my expression with one of tumult and anguish.

"Again," I said. Edward stared at me with the most peculiar expression, as though he were both concerned that I had gone entirely mad, and also stricken entirely with grief. He stared at me for a few seconds, his torn expression, a stare that I met with unwavering determination, before he at long last stepped back into a defensive stance, his face turning entirely blank.

At the sound of the buzzer he again flattened me without any chance of resistance, for the moment the match began, he seemed to become almost invisible, this time striking me across the chest, leaving me again gasping for air on the ground, and as before, he looked nearly distraught with pain, and just as before, I insisted to try again. We continued the same pattern for hours: The buzzer sounding, him striking me with blinding speed, and me collapsing to the ground, only to have him lift me back to the standing position. I noticed however, that over time, I began to be able to better anticipate his strikes, and almost was able to begin to block them with my hands, though when I did, the force of the blow simply numbed my entire fist, and then his second strike still left me defeated upon the ground. Still, I felt that I was making progress.

"Again," I told him, and he looked at me with utter bewilderment.

"Bella it's been nearly two hours! Surely you've had enough for the night," he said, his chest rising and falling heftily with the workout that I had been providing him.

"Again," I insisted. He reset the buzzer.

I focused upon him, upon his feet, and upon his fists, attempting to anticipate where he would strike me. The buzzer sounded and Edward seemed to once again become a blur, a blur that I noticed was headed for my left side. I jumped as far to the right as I could and I heard the whoosh of his leg pass by me, meeting nothing but empty space. I saw my window of opportunity and thrust my fist at his exposed ribcage, striking him with as much force as I could muster. My fist stung when it contacted his bare flesh and I pulled my hand back, hissing at the sting of my knuckles. Edward was staring down at his body, at the red imprint of my fist upon the side of his torso, staring with his mouth entirely agape, before his eyes darted upwards to meet mine.

"You struck me," he whispered his eyes glaring into mine. I had struck Edward. I suddenly felt as though I were going to collapse. I had struck him with all of my might, the man that I loved. I felt abominable. I felt abhorrent. How could I even think to do such a thing?

"Oh my god, Edward!" I practically shouted, throwing myself towards him.

"Are you alright? I didn't hurt you did I? I'm so – so sorry!" I said throwing myself upon him, wrapping my arms about him tightly. I gazed upwards at his face, and it suddenly dawned upon me that his expression wasn't one of pain, but one of awe.

"Bella – you struck me," he repeated, smiling brilliantly. Without any precursor, his elated laugh echoed about the room as he glanced down at me, his eyes brimming with what appeared to be pride. I suddenly realized the monumental weight of his words. I had struck him. I had not only sidestepped an attack, but had managed to strike him in retaliation.

"I struck you," I stammered out, my mouth suddenly agape in awe of my own realization.

"I struck you Edward," I said, smiling tremendously at him. He beamed down upon me with pride.

"But – I didn't hurt you did I?" I asked him, suddenly sincere once again. He belted out a loud laugh which echoed about the confines of the room, reverberating jubilantly in the air.

"I'm perfectly fine," he said through his exultant laughter as I gazed upon his overwhelmingly joyous expression. Beneath the brilliance of his pulchritude, I felt the ache of every blow and bruise my body had received melt away, and without warning, my feeling of deep rooted accomplishment began to give way to something even more powerful, as I felt my eyes begin to drift over him, absorbing his every detail. His bronze hair was stained dark with the moisture of his sweat, and his cheeks and forehead were flushed a brilliant shade of crimson. His chest rose and fell rapidly beneath his heavy breathing, his incredible musculature expanding and contracting with each motion. His skin seemed to shine with perspiration, as the microscopic beads of liquid seemed to sparkle like diamonds in the light. My mind roamed over the memories of his precise and crippling blows, each one as unrelentingly powerful as the one before it, of how he had so expertly fought away the attacker who had threatened me, of how perfectly he had completed his exercise in the firing room, and of the sheer might of what it felt like to be ensnared in his incredible embrace. Seeing him, standing before me, bare chested and covered in the evidence of his physical exertion, caused my hunger for him to suddenly burn within me with a carnal power that I had never before felt. He was an image of pure masculinity, of unstoppable virility, of unimaginable power. He looked to be almost a superhero, so incredibly powerful was his stature, and I felt entirely convinced gazing upon him that it was entirely possible that he was utterly invincible. I suddenly understood what I craved. I wanted him to be powerful, to exert all of his power into my body, to press my body against him with all of his unrelenting might, and give me no possibility for escape. Never, in the entirety of the time that I had known him, had I ever found him to be more incredibly desirable than I found him to be in that moment, and I did not wish to wait a single second longer to have him embrace me. He stared at me with a measure of bemusement.

"Bella – are you…" he began, but I had no intentions of allowing him to finish, as I ripped my headgear off of my skull with the snap of my wrist, tore the chest pad from my body and threw myself into him, my lips meeting his with a carnal ferocity that I never before had even been aware existed within me. Although I could see his eyes widen instantly in shock, his bewilderment seemed to abandon him quickly as his hand worked its way into the drenched locks of my hair. So voracious was his response to me that I could nearly taste his desire upon his very tongue as his lips connected relentlessly with mine. I couldn't help but gasp for air as his lips moved hungrily down my jaw, and the exposed skin of my neck, as I dragged my hands downward over the wet skin of his muscular chest, pressing into him with the full power of my erotic desires. I could feel the fine hair of his chest beneath my fingers, damp, and matted, as his skin stuck to mine with his drying perspiration. I could not get enough of the powerful texture of him beneath my touch, feeling waves of desire course through me as the powerful density of his musculature quivered and flexed beneath my fingertips. I wanted every ounce of his power, and I shuttered as his lips moved their way further down my shoulders, his hands running up the exposed skin at the small of my back, sliding beneath the lining of my top. I suddenly pressed against him, thrusting him backwards with all of my might into the solid wall behind him, hearing the hallow thud reverberate through him as his back met with the concrete. He smirked at me, his eyes suddenly burning into me, as he grasped my wrists, rotating our bodies about so that he had me pinned forcefully against the wall with a resounding thump, my back being pressed against the cool concrete, which was such a vivid contrast to the warmth of his touch. He lowered his head to the underside of my top, taking it ever so delicately in his teeth, as he moved his head upwards, stripping it from my body, leaving nothing but the support of my undergarments remaining. He stared at me intently, his breathing coming as rapidly as mine as his eyes burned into me like a pair of raging fires. I met the full force of them head on, as I reveled in the rapid beating of my heart, which pounded in my ears with unfulfilled desires.

"Take me," I whispered jaggedly, and his right hand suddenly left my wrist and my hand moved immediately to grasp at his glute, as his hand moved upwards wholly beneath my brassiere. I threw my head backwards, facing the ceiling, and closed my eyes, allowing my guttural cry of pleasure to reverberate about the room, and escape outward, filling the blackness of the night.


	28. Chapter 28

I didn't know how long I had been staring vacantly at the blank wall before me, but I was entirely certain that it had been far too long. The air about me was still, and stuffy. The only noise: the metronome of the ticking second hand of the clock, the humming of the fluorescent light bulbs, and the ever present whoosh of the heated air flowing through the vents in the ceiling inside of the small waiting room outside of the offices of the Lakefront Gazette. I had come to be rather familiar with this room since my article had been selected to be entered into the paper. Not only had I come to this place to do my rewriting with the paper's editor Miss Morgan, but I had been called in to the paper's office on several other occasions since the article's release to write smaller pieces for the paper, articles that Miss Morgan referred to as 'fluff pieces'.

"Just little things that will make people feel good about themselves," she had said, though to me, the writing felt as though it were just busy work, a way for her to assess the true extent of my skills without something personal driving me towards an end game. It was certainly a legitimate experiment I deduced, as it seemed a decently effective way to determine my usefulness to her as a journalist. She had no need of one hit wonders, and thus she had assigned me to write several articles pertaining to topics about which I knew absolutely nothing, such as Black Friday Shopping hotspots, an article whose subject matter consisted entirely of Alice's personal suggestions, and the following week, a piece about useful tips for minimizing stress during exams. Unfortunately, writing the article had the opposite effect upon my own mind as I intended to convey to my readers, as I too had exams to study for, namely biology, which I was unfortunately still failing. Edward of course, being the ever thoughtful and chivalrous gentleman that he was, had offered me his assistance, regardless of the fact that he had his own final exams approaching as well, and was spending his days with a full load of medical school coursework, and his nights training me in the art of self-defense and combat. I could not, with a clear conscious, request that he take on the additional task of attempting to elicit within my mind, comprehension of a subject that simply seemed to be far beyond my capability to grasp. It was not that I lacked intelligence in many other senses; there was simply something about the sciences which had always eluded me. He of course, insisted that he had more than enough time to spare for something as important as my education, and so I begrudgingly accepted his help, not because I did not wish to spend the time with him to do so, but because he often caused me to have difficulty thinking when I was in his presence, and I did not particularly enjoy feeling so entirely obtuse compared to his obvious brilliance. I simply hoped that by accepting his offer, I would not be causing him to stretch himself too thin, and cause him to slip on some of his own responsibility. I never wanted to be responsible for pulling Edward down. I only wanted to help him soar even higher.

I continued to stare absently across the room at previous issues of the gazette which lined the tables of the waiting room, allowing my mind to drift lightly across the oddity of the email that had led me to stare at the walls of the waiting room this morning. It wasn't the nature of the email that had made it so peculiar, but rather the lack of details included within. Typically Miss Morgan had at least given me some indication about what it was that she wished to speak with me about, but this email had simply requested for me to proceed directly to her office in the morning with no additional explanation. I felt the grip of my own apprehension about my windpipe, as I continued to stare nervously at the clock, watching as the minute hand continued to rotate its way ever so slowly about the hour, marking the unending passage of time.

I inhaled deeply, pushing the tumultuous chaos of my own thoughts from my mind, and simply allowed myself to absorb the world about me, the pattern of the walls, the sounds of the air swirling about the room, and the textured fabric of the chair beneath my fingertips. It was in that moment, allowing myself to absorb my surroundings, that I first became aware that I was no longer alone, for in the farthest chair in the corner of the room, to my left hand side, sat a man in a navy blue suit, his disheveled blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, meeting my gaze with a stare of peculiar intensity, his eyes such a dark brown they seemed almost to be black. I averted my gaze after a moment, not because I was experiencing any discomfort as I would have many months ago, but simply because I had become accustomed to the stares of strangers since the article had been released. I had, against my will, become something of a spectacle about campus, a mystery that the curious eyes of strangers wished to gaze upon, to solve. At first it had made me incredibly uncomfortable when they watched me, when they stared as I passed by, but after several weeks of such treatment, I had now simply accepted that it was but a part of my existence, and so I was content to simply stare back downward at my hands, which were folded gently across my lap, and allow the man to absorb the enigma of simply being in the same room as me, seeing as how for some reason, anymore, that had become something that was so interesting to others. I had again begun tracing the fabric of the chair with my fingertips when I heard the rough reverberations of the stranger clearing his throat fill the air.

"Excuse me," I heard a voice say, interrupting the perfect stillness of the room.

"Is this you?" I glanced upwards immediately at the owner of the deep, smooth voice in bewilderment, for while I had grown accustomed to quiet stares and unspoken intrigue, I still felt entirely off put by the thought of actually being required to interact with others. His dark eyes gazed steadily in my direction, his face smooth and unreadable, clearly expectant of a response of some sort as his finger tapped lightly on the tiny square containing the photograph of my face at the bottom of my article.

"Um – yes – that's me," I responded hesitantly, my voice barely squeezing out through the tightness of my throat, and I glanced back downward at my hands so as to not have to feel the scrutinizing stare of the stranger before me, twirling my thumbs nervously about each other, awaiting whatever reply I felt was coming from him. But after a few long moments filled by nothing but the hollow ticking of the second hand of the clock along the bare wall, I began to wonder if perhaps he had simply been momentarily overcome by curiosity, and I found myself suddenly hopeful that perhaps his need for conversation had in some way been satiated.

"I feel obliged to admit that this is a rather fascinating article," he said finally, and with great effort I held back the sigh that threatened to escape me.

"Thank you," I replied, continuing to stare downwards at my hands as I found myself attempting to identify the well masked hint of an accent that I could hear gracing the edge his pronunciation. I was unable to identify it.

"You are welcome. It certainly sounds as though you have gone through something – incredible," he said, although in his pause I could detect that incredible was not the word which he had originally intended to use. Of what he had meant to say I was entirely uncertain, but I did not feel that incredible fit the bill.

"I don't necessarily think that _incredible_ would be my first word choice," I said, staring vacantly at the subtle patterns in the grey carpet at my feet, echoing his unspoken sentiment.

"No, I don't suppose you would," he replied, his voice suddenly sounding pensive.

"Regardless, it seems that you are rather important to him," He stated, though it almost sounded almost as though he were simply thinking aloud. I glanced upwards from the floor to take in his expression, only to find his dark eyes honed in upon me, with a kind smile planted on his face. It seemed an innocent enough expression, but upon closer examination, I felt that something was simply off about it.

"I'd like to think so," I responded, forcing myself to muster up the best semblance of a kind smile that I could. His eyes remained transfixed upon me, boring into me with an unrelenting curiosity that did not match the casual kindness of his expression. I couldn't help but wonder why that was. I heard the door at the far end of the room open with a click, the hinges squealing ever so slightly as it opened.

"Miss Swan, she's ready for you now," a woman's soft voice said from behind me, and I turned to face the young petite woman, and nodded at her, watching her spin about and take her leave of me, her braid bobbing behind her.

"Well, congratulations again. I'll be sure to mention how stellar your writing is when I speak with Miss Morgan in a few moments," the stranger said from behind me.

"Oh – thank you," I said, not turning back to face him, but rather proceeding immediately through the doorway after the young woman, ever so pleased to no longer have to participate in such a social construct as a conversation where I was receiving praise. I always felt incredibly awkward beneath the weight of compliments, and while I tolerated such behaviors from the likes of Edward and Alice simply because I knew that they would give me an even harder time if I attempted to refuse them, I felt entirely unsure of how to accept such commendation from a person whom I had never met, especially one who seemed so entirely interested.

Something about the interaction simply had not settled with me, but as I felt the door closing behind me, I still felt compelled to shout, "It was a pleasure meeting you," though honestly I was entirely unsure that it had been.

I stepped noiselessly into the cluttered office of Erica Morgan, the chief editor of the Lakefront Gazette, and took a seat in the small padded wooden chair that sat before her desk. Not that anyone would have known that it was supposed to be a desk, as it seemed to be more an endless mountain of paperwork, newspapers, magazines, and books, than a flat surface on which to work. Still, few people about campus could deny her brilliance, and so, it seemed she was able to get away with being rather untidy. She did not look up from her laptop when I entered the room, and I sat before her quietly for several moments without her taking notice of me, or at the very least acknowledging that she had.

"You wanted to see me?" I asked timorously, clasping my hands tightly together between my legs. Typically Miss Morgan had at least given me an indication of what she wished to speak with me about in her correspondence, but as I sat before her now, I still had absolutely no idea what she wished from me. Her eyes darted up from the keys of her laptops, darting to my face for ever the slightest moment, before once more turning down to her screen as her fingers moved furiously about the keys.

"Ah Bella dear, how have you been? Great? Great. Ok so I have some news for you. Actually a few pieces of news, some good, some bad, some unimportant what do you want first?" she spewed out in her thick Brooklyn drawl with such velocity that I was barely able to comprehend the words as they flowed over me. I blinked at her in bewilderment.

"So loquacious you are. So your piece on the music was fantastic. Very well received, although a bit preachy on the Stephanie Taylor front but I forgive you. Now listen up! I think I've determined what I can use you for most effectively here at the gazette. As you know, Tiffany is leaving the paper because nobody wants to read their relationship advice from a whore, and we all know what Tiffany has been up to lately thanks to the Enquirer. So, I want you to be our new relationship advice columnist, you know, since you're banging the hunk of the town and all," she said, still looking down at her laptop, her glasses sliding ever so slightly down her face. Her curly dark hair was a wild mane today as she worked so fervently on whatever project had her so incredibly preoccupied. I felt the gears of my mind grind to a sudden halt as comprehension of what she had so suddenly and rapidly informed me sank into my being.

"Wait – are you really giving me Tiffany's column?" I asked, my eyes widening in amazement.

"Did I stutter?" She retorted sharply. I felt a smile erupt across my features as the reality of it struck me, and for a brief moment, I allowed joy to swim through my body before I reigned myself in, remembering what she had told me.

"How is that bad news?" I asked her, attempting to keep my questioning far more concise than my jumbled thoughts.

"That wasn't the bad news," she responded, still staring at her monitor. I doubted she even noticed my raised eyebrow and perplexed expression.

"Well, if that wasn't the bad news then what is?" I asked, realizing that her concentration was far too removed from our conversation to give me the information I needed without further prompting.

"Oh, you don't get the column until January," she replied shrugging her shoulders ever so slightly.

"Wait – Why not?" I asked, even further perplexed. If Tiffany had been removed in disgrace, I would have found it more logical for her replacement to begin immediately so as to not sully the good reputation of the gazette.

"Because it would make us look like we were playing favorites, so until the winner is announced you no longer are affiliated with this paper in any way," she responded. I attempted to wrap my mind about her words, but I could not in any way make sense of them.

"What do you mean winner? What winner?" I asked lifting my hand to brush the stray hairs from my face. She finally raised her eyes from her keyboard to look at me with proud vexation, if two such expressions were capable of even coexisting.

"You really don't know, do ya?" She asked, looking entirely appalled. I shook my head gently from side to side, my confusion entirely unconcealed upon my face.

"Kid - you've been nominated for Miss Lakefront," she said, her voice suddenly full of weight.

"So in order for our little popularity contest to not seem biased, I have to fire you until all of the votes come in. It's just to save face, and don't worry you aren't actually fired, and no I can't rig it so that you win," she said. I stared at her blankly, my mind a battleground between awe, humility, exasperation, and complete and utter dread. Alice had of course educated me on what was one of Lakefront University's oldest traditions: the annual selection of Mister and Miss Lakefront, which took place at the school's winter formal gala every December. She had made sure to brush me up on the significance of both the selection ceremony, and of the gala itself, as this year the event was to be held at none other than the Cullen Estate. Alice, being the chairman of the party planning commission for Lakefront University, had pulled more than a few strings to deliver such an extravagant setup. As for choosing the annual winners of Mister and Miss Lakefront, the selection process was rather simple. Throughout the week, students had nominated candidates via social media, and paper slips at the party planning commission office. The five most nominated men and women would become the official nominees, upon which the entire student body would then vote, again either by paper ballot, or online via the winter gala's website. It seemed that no matter how inconceivable the very concept of it was to myself, enough students at Lakefront had submitted my name for nomination that I was one of the five official candidates for Miss Lakefront, something for which I felt incredibly humbled, something of which I felt undeserving, and something that I wanted absolutely no part of. Alice would surely have a field day with this.

"Oh…" I began, terror slowly taking grip of my expression as I realized the horrible nature of the quantity of publicity I was likely to receive that evening at the gala.

"Do you think you could rig it so that I lose?" I asked, my voice sounding breathless and defeated. Miss Morgan chuckled at me loudly.

"That's cute. Now go call your boy, tell him the good news and get out of here," she said with a smirk. I had of course already intended to speak with Edward about the matter the moment I had left her office. He of course, would believe my selection to be wonderful, and well deserved, which of course was a delusional opinion. A delusional opinion that I would be unable to change. He would however, understand and to a limited extent sympathize with my complete aversion to being a part of the entire ordeal, and therefore would likely make his best attempt to help me through the evening. His very presence alone would greatly alleviate my burden. I did not deserve him.

I sighed heavily, removing my hand from between my legs to fumble about my pockets in search of my phone. I drove my hand deep into my front pocket, but I was met by nothing but fabric. My cellphone was not within its confines. I moved my hands about all of the pockets in my jeans, but instead of being met by the distinct feeling of its outline, my hands were met only the pliability of my own body. My cellphone was nowhere to be found. I felt my heart begin to pound within my chest as apprehension gripped me from within, casting a haze across my racing mind as I attempted to comb back through the last few moments, searching desperately for any indication as to my cellphone's whereabouts. Miss Morgan, glanced up from her computer screen momentarily in order to stare across her desk, her eyebrow perking up inquisitively at my suddenly frantic expression.

"You alright kid?" she asked me, raising a pencil thin eyebrow in my direction.

"I think I've lost my phone," I said, forcing the words from my lips with effort, shaking my head with frustrated panic. I continued to push through the fog of my mind, searching for any indication of where I could have misplaced it when suddenly a vague recollection came to me, a wispy memory of a pair of dark eyes staring at me unsettlingly from across the waiting room, of my phone lying atop an older edition of the Lakefront Gazette upon a table in the waiting room. The wisp evaporated before me, and despite my best effort, I was unable to retrieve any memory of whether or not I had left my device there upon the table, or if I had retrieved it.

"Actually – I think I left it out in the waiting room. Maybe the other gentleman who is waiting to see you will know what I did with it," I thought aloud. Miss Morgan stared at me with an expression of pure bafflement.

"Sweetie – there is no one else waiting for me today. As soon as I finish these edits I'm leaving for the day. Now go. Find your phone," she said, shooing me with a sweeping motion of her hands before her eyes returned to the screen of her computer, and her fingers resumed their rapid dance across the keys. I felt entirely perplexed by her dismissal of what I had known with certainty to be fact, as the man had not only sat with me for quite some time, but had also engaged in conversation with me. Still, I knew better than to argue with Miss Morgan, and so I stood with a brief nod and exited her office.

As I strode down the hall, I felt my perplexity envelope me. Of course the stranger was waiting for Miss Morgan, as I clearly recalled that he had said that he would mention the quality of my writing to her. Perhaps she had simply forgotten. I emerged into the small waiting area. The silver glint of my telephone, to my immediate relief, was visible upon the small table on the left hand side of the room, and I quickly moved to retrieve it. It was only upon regaining possession of my cellphone that I noticed that I was entirely alone in the waiting area. The stranger with the stare of unsatiated curiosity, was nowhere to be seen, though I knew he could not be with Miss Morgan, as I had walked down the only path to her office. I glanced about the room as though I somehow expected him to be hiding behind one of the potted plants in the corners, but after it became apparently obvious that he indeed was not there, I exited the office into the brisk air of the communications building.

I knew that my mind was simply being preposterous, creating scenarios that did not exist, but I was entirely certain that the stranger had said that he was meeting Miss Morgan. I replayed the entire conversation in my mind: his line of questioning, the oddly intense stare behind his friendly smile, and his notable absence when I had left the room. I felt certain that my mind was simply creating inconsistencies, and that I likely was misremembering the details of our brief conversation, but even as I attempted to diffuse my own curiosity over his mysterious absence, I could not help but feel that there was something altogether unsettling about his presence in the room to begin with. I walked through the door of the communications building into the frigid swirling air of winter, pondering the mystery of the occurrence as I strode forward across the frosty lawns of the campus.

I saw the sheik silver finish of the Lamborghini awaiting my arrival upon the curb by the engineering building as I rounded the corner, something that I had not anticipated this afternoon. It seemed to be a day replete with mysteries, although at the very least, this was a mystery that I was rather grateful for. I stepped through the sleek raised door in a flash. No sooner had I taken my seat and thrown the seatbelt across my chest with a click, than I felt his arm wrap about the back of my neck, guiding my gaze upwards to the golden glory of his incredible eyes. I couldn't help but smile upwards at him, and he returned my smile with magnificent brilliance, before leaning his head downward towards mine to plant the perfect form of his lips against mine. I still found myself as overwhelmed by the jolting electricity of his touch as I had been the very first time so long ago, and my heart still sped within my chest beneath the power of him. He pulled back from me slowly, his lips pulling up in the slightest smirk at my wonderstruck expression, before he urged the vehicle forward with an incredible surge of power. I couldn't help but smile aimlessly out the window at the blur of the world passing by me, allowing myself to simply bask in the warm glow that was Edward.

"I didn't know you were coming," I finally said, interrupting the sound of the purring engine, which seemed to resonate through my seat and into my very body. I could see him glancing downward at me with an inquisitive grin from the periphery of my vision.

"I had assumed it would be Angela, or – Ben maybe?" I said, smiling at the notion that Ben would dare be trapped in the car alone with me. Angela had casually informed me the previous week that Edward's overprotective intimidation tactic had been far more successful than Ben would care to admit to anyone. He was simultaneously entirely terrified by Edward, and utterly fascinated by him, though Edward suspected it was less of a fascination with his actual character, than it was a fascination with attempting to treat Angela with the same unparalleled chivalry with which Edward treated me. Somehow, his newfound fear of Edward had also translated to myself, as Angela had informed me that he was convinced that every word he said to me, whether it was in regards to Angela or not, would be related back to Edward. Angela also seemed fairly convinced that he was petrified that he would in some way offend me, and that if he managed to do so, Edward would swiftly hunt him down, and expeditiously kill him. The latter did not seem to be so far-fetched a trepidation, given my confidential knowledge of Edward's many areas of expertise. Still, it seemed humorous to me to even imagine Ben sitting alone in the same room as either Edward or myself without Angela's loving supervision.

"Ben?" Edward asked with an amused chuckle, obviously having had a similar train of thought to myself.

"Maybe Angela was busy?" I asked, my voice rising in pitch with a shrug as I concluded my sentence. I glanced over at him to see him smirking, though he did not take his eyes from the road.

"What made you assume that I would be busy, as I'd like to believe that I would be your first choice," he said, the velvet texture of his voice colored with both mock derision, and concerned insecurity.

"Because I already told you that when we get to the house, you have to let me get ready for this evening _alone_ ," I said with a soft, teasing smile.

"That's rather unfair you know. Plotting behind my back with my own sister," he said, his aggravation apparent in his tone, despite his best attempt to mask it with playful flirtation.

"I'm rather hoping that you will thank me later," I said softly, glancing down at the black floor of the vehicle, hoping that Alice had actually managed to pull off what I had asked of her. Our conversation had occurred the day after Thanksgiving, first thing in the morning, when I had first realized that I would be attending the winter gala with Edward. I had pulled her aside as Edward helped Esme in the kitchen with breakfast, in order to inquire if she would help me acquire a particular item of fashion without Edward's knowledge. I was in need of the most spectacular gown that he had ever seen gracing my form, the most spectacular gown that I would ever wear in my life. I wanted a dress that would stop him in his tracks, a dress that I would be wearing solely so that later, he would be unable to resist removing it. Alice, of course, had immediately loved the idea, and as usual insisted that I needn't worry about a thing. I found myself now feeling rather apprehensive about the arrangement. It was not in any way because I did not trust Alice. On the contrary, I felt certain that she would likely deliver something incredible as she always did. I was instead anxious about the fact that she would not be at the house that evening to help me prepare, as her and Jasper had left early in the morning, shortly after breakfast in order to drive up the shore to the Cullen Estate in order to oversee the likely (knowing Alice) spectacular transformation of the mansion into the event space of the decade. Alice had insisted that she would leave me in capable hands, and Angela had agreed to come to the house before heading to the gala with Ben, Edward, and myself, in order to help my prepare my look for the evening. Alice was of course correct, Angela's hands were incredibly capable, but they certainly weren't Alice's. As I allowed my thoughts and apprehensions to flow through me, I couldn't help but notice Edward grumbling ever so subtly to himself about being excluded from our plotting. I could only hope that in the end, he would find my scheme to be well worth it.

We pulled carefully into the driveway, so as not to accidentally lose control of the vehicle if we were to hit any black ice upon the concrete slab, and Edward opened my door for me, offering his hand to me and escorting me inside the warmth of his home, though any more, I may as well have referred to it as our home, as I had not been to my dormitory in well over a month, seeing as how Jessica had been refusing to speak with me. Angela had ever so kindly gone to my dorm to retrieve a few essential items for me: books, my laptop, my Stephanie Taylor albums, and of course, Edward's leather jacket. It certainly seemed that anymore, Edward and Alice's home had indeed become my home as well, and I was eternally thankful for their generosity. It seemed that I had been lucky enough to be surrounded by incredible people, and I vowed to myself frequently to never take their presence for granted.

As soon as we stepped through the foyer I reached up to quickly give Edward a kiss upon his cheek, smiling upwards at him gently, though it seemed to do little to uplift the agitation of his rather sullen demeanor.

"It'll be worth it," I said with a smirk, before taking my leave of him and proceeding to Alice's room, with Angela following closely behind, just as Alice had instructed. I couldn't help but notice Edward's glorious eyes gazing after me longingly, before Angela closed the door behind herself, removing him from my view. Though I knew it to be an entirely irrational response, I couldn't help but feel my heart long for him as well.

I was interrupted from the ache of my yearning by Angela's sharp gasp from behind me, and I saw her gazing downward at something, her eyes widened in amazement. I followed her line of sight to Alice's bed, only to feel my own breath sucked from my very lungs by the incredible sight of what laid draped delicately across the ivory fabric of Alice's mattress. Alice had more than delivered upon her promise, she had pulled the clouds from the very sky to produce a dress that looked as though it belonged on the silver screen. It was delicate, and light, shimmering as though the surface of it were encrusted with microscopic diamonds, and the palest sky blue hue that it seemed to almost be white. It looked like the sort of gown that Cinderella herself would have likely worn to the ball, and I immediately felt wholly inadequate to ever allow such an incredible garment to grace my body. To do so would be an insult to its design.

"It's beautiful," Angela whispered, running her fingers across the surface of the flawless fabric.

"That's an understatement," I whispered in response, staring at the magnificence of the gown before me.

"It looks as though Alice left us some very specific instructions," Angela said, picking up a folded white piece of paper from the surface of Alice's boudoir.

"Dear Angela, here are a few simple instructions on how to assemble the look I've designed for Bella tonight. Don't allow her to try to talk you out of a single step. If you need to, remind her that Edward will throw himself at her if she listens to me. She will still fight you, but you can handle it. You can do this. Love, Alice," Angela said, gazing at me with a humorous smile. I rolled my eyes at her lightheartedly.

"I'm not going to fight you at all," I insisted, something of which Angela seemed immediately skeptical.

"Really Angela, why would I fight you? I asked for this remember," I reminded her, nodding my head with the certainty of my conviction.

"There are eighty-seven steps," Angela said flatly.

"Oh good god!" I exclaimed with unexpected volume, my mouth dropping open in horror, to which Angela simply laughed lightly.

The next several hours consisted of Angela and myself putting together our outfits, assisting each other with our hair and makeup, and shooing Edward away from the door approximately once every half hour or so, as he continued to create an endless stream of obvious excuses to try to persuade us to allow him inside.

Angela was adorned in a lovely black dress, which clung to her ever so slight curvature, pronouncing it in bold ways. I felt certain that Ben would find her irresistible in such attire, and I couldn't help but smirk at my own handiwork as she inspected her own reflection. She did not linger for long in the glass of the mirror however, as she waved her hand toward the mirror for me to inspect my own reflection in the glass. Alice's first instruction had been to not allow me to look at my own reflection and her final instruction had been to break her first instruction. Of course she would manage to turn my transformation into some sort of grand reveal. I knew that I should have expected no less of Alice. I sighed deeply, stepping before the glass of the mirror and willing myself to open my eyes to gaze upon my own reflection. I did not recognize the woman who stared back at me. She was adorned in the incredible gown, which clung to her as though she had been the very model for which the dress had been designed, flowing with graceful sophistication, as though she were wearing an off white, blue cloud, made of nothing but crystalline ice that was swirled about her form in a way that was simultaneously classically beautiful, yet chic and sophisticated. Her hair was pulled over entirely to one side, and flowed in curling waves down past her ear until it fell upon her shoulder like the streams of a waterfall misting over the rocks at its base. Diamonds adorned her ears, and on the side where her hair swept upwards and over her to the other shoulder, diamond jewels were embedded in the deep auburn brown of her locks, making it look as though she were but an extension of the incredible gown that graced her. Her skin looked to be made of flawless ivory, and her lips were such a vivid ruby that in juxtaposition to the rest of her attire they seemed to be flawless, perfectly complimenting the blush of her cheeks. My eyes drifted down her legs to see the glittering shoes upon her feet, which shone in the light with the brilliance of the golden age of Hollywood, and the classical grace of a fairy tale. No, I did not recognize myself, for I was incapable of ever accomplishing this level of dazzling beauty. It was beyond my ability, and so Alice had elected simply to erase me from existence, and grant me control of the body of another. I felt as though for the first time in my entire life, perhaps it would be possible for me to stand beside Edward's majestic pulchritude, and feel as though I were his equal.

I stared wide eyed at my own reflection, entirely unable to form a sentence of any coherency.

"Bella, you look incredible," Angela said with a warm smile. I smiled at her warmly, overcome by the wave of emotion that was suddenly swimming through my very core.

"Thank you so much Angela," I said, throwing myself at her, wrapping my arms about her back and pulling her in tightly.

"Don't thank me. I just followed the instructions," she said with a chuckle.

"Thank goodness there were reference diagrams," she added with a smile, as laughter burst from her lips.

"Alice is nothing if not thorough," I said, joining her laughter before she sighed.

"Come on, we have to show Ben and Edward," she said with a glint of excitement in her eyes, and I felt a tightness wrap it's way about my heart, knowing that if Edward saw me as I was now, he would become fully aware of my typical inadequacy. I stood frozen in place, entirely unable to will myself into movement. Angela nodded at me encouragingly, and with a great amount of concentrated effort, I placed my feet one before the other and allowed them to carry me through Alice's doorway and into the hall.

"Angela! You look – incredible!" I heard Ben stutter out, clearly searching for a way to articulate what he wished to say, as she walked before me.

"You look so handsome Ben," I heard her say affectionately about the corner of the partition. I inhaled sharply, preparing myself to step about the corner and into the majesty of Edward's gaze. I couldn't help but feel the stranglehold about my chest, but I exhaled, attempting to expel it from myself, and stepped about the corner into the light of the living room.

I was greeted by the spitting image of a god, and his irresistible handsomeness struck me with the power of a raging fire as I gazed upon him. He was dressed in a black and white tuxedo, which fit him more perfectly than it would have a mannequin, and his bronze hair flowed backwards away from his face, having been combed back in a slightly less chaotic manner than usual, though it still shone brilliantly in the light. His golden eyes were frozen wide, locked upon me, and his mouth hung agape as though something were terribly wrong. I stood, staring back at him, simultaneously dumbstruck by his beauty, and yet filled entirely with a sense of dread.

"What is the matter?" I asked, my concern suddenly flooding my expression. Edward continued to stare at me, his expression of shock as immobile as stone. He tilted his head ever so slightly to the side.

"What do you think?" I asked innocently, attempting to contain my heart, which pounded away relentlessly against my ribcage. He began to walk slowly forward across the room, his eyes moving over me, appraising every inch of my form, though they were still incredibly wide, and his mouth still hung agape.

"Edward?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him as he came to a stop merely inches away from me. At long last his gaze rested upon mine, his expression contorted in exasperated wonderment.

"I have wandered to every corner of my own mind, and attempted to recall every expression of which I am cognoscente, and yet, I seem to be at a loss to find a single one to describe the incomparable magnificence of your beauty," he said, his eyes burning enchantingly down into mine. I couldn't help but feel myself melt before the complement of his incredible gaze, and I soared beneath the splendor of his affections.

"So – you like it?" I asked him, meeting the intensity of his gaze head on, and allowing it to send vibrations of electric energy scattering through my body freely.

"To say that I _like_ it would be an insulting minimization in this instance, and you in no way deserve such disrespect," he said, as I felt the crimson burn rise to my cheeks before him. He moved his lips forward, and placed them ever so gently upon the bare skin of my forehead, and I smiled with contentment to myself.

"How will I ever compete with him" I heard Ben whisper lightly beneath his breath, and I felt Edward chuckle silently against my forehead.

"Luckily for you, you won't ever have to," Angela responded softly, and I could hear the smile in her voice. No, Ben would never have to, because Angela was truly enamored with him, and because I had absolutely no intentions of ever letting Edward go.

After a moment Edward gestured to us that it was time to depart. We moved to gather our coats from the hanger in the doorway and stepped outwards into the frigid air of the night. Our breath swirled about us in clouds of mist, which was brilliantly illuminated by a pair of glaring headlights that aimed up the concrete surface of the driveway. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw that the headlights were attached to the lengthy silhouette of a sleek, black, limousine. I felt my mouth slacken as I stood awestruck, staring at the incredible sight before me, before I turned my gaze upward to stare at Edward, who was audibly chuckling down at me. I raised my eyebrow at him inquisitively.

"You get chauffeured around in a Lamborghini – and a limousine impresses you?" he said with a laugh, and I couldn't help but chuckle to myself at his preposterous skepticism.

"I haven't exactly grown accustomed to that being a part of my everyday life," I responded with a playful grin, staring up at the dazzling depths of his starry eyes. He smirked downwards at me, his playful demeanor laced in the utmost sincerity as he opened the backseat of the limo and took my hand in his.

"Well, perhaps you should try to acclimate a bit faster then," he said, winking at me ever so slightly. My involuntary smile practically burned my cheeks as he lowered me into the black, plush interior of the limo. Ben and Angela took the seats on the driver's side of the vehicle while Edward pulled me firmly against his side in the back seat of the limo, his arm wrapped gently, yet powerfully about my waist. I couldn't help but allow my mind to ruminate over what I knew was before me that evening. I knew that I would be a spectacle, that heads would turn as Edward and myself passed by the student body attending the gala, not only because the two of us had both been nominated for the Mister and Miss Lakefront awards, but also because it would be Edward's and my first public outing together at a public school function, and seeing as how we had quickly become the newest fascination of the entire campus, I felt entirely certain that there would be an undue quantity of scrutiny upon us this evening, scrutiny with which I felt entirely uncomfortable. I did not like the uncertainty that such exposure would bring us, as it left me feeling exposed, unprotected, and altogether too raw.

Almost as though he were somehow able to feel my thoughts spiraling away from me, I felt Edwards hand suddenly tighten about my own, squeezing my hand lightly three times, as though he were attempting to reign me in, to assuage my fears and hesitations. I sighed, allowing the warmth of his presence to fill the entirety of my body. I leaned my head gently against his shoulder, and I felt his arm pull me ever so slightly tighter against the solidity of his body. I could feel his shoulders rise and fall about me, as steady and powerful as the lapping waves of the ocean, and nearly as timeless. I stared out the front windshield, watching the road way slip away beneath us as we wound into the darkness. I felt nothing but tranquility and contentment as I leaned against him, and although I was aware that I had no answers of what the future may hold, I was entirely certain of one thing. The road that I would travel with Edward might at times be dark, winding, and treacherous, but I was absolutely positive that it would be a long one, and that no matter what challenges may lie down its path, we would continue forwards down the pavement, content to take every inch of it, together.


	29. Chapter 29

The drive to the Estate seemed to take far less time than normal as we sped ever further from the shimmering lights of the city. Angela and Ben spoke excitedly with Edward and myself about the spectacular gala that would surely be awaiting us upon our arrival at the estate. I felt fairly certain that it would be nothing short of magnificent, as Alice's talented mind seemed capable of nothing less. Upon rounding the corner to face the grandiose bronze gates, which had been left open in preparation for the evening's festivities, I knew that I was correct in my assumption that something spectacular was in store. Fixed about the bare canopy of trees before us, lay hundreds of lanterns containing beautiful white flickering candles, which hung from the dark branches above them in such a way that they appeared to be floating in mid-air over the long, twisting drive leading into the forest, casting the road beneath them in a warm, flickering glow. I couldn't help but stare up at them in wide eyed amazement, as we began to slowly traverse the length of the drive, overcome by the powerful simplicity of such an incredible display of décor. Angela and Ben seemed to be equally awestruck by Alice's handwork, as our limousine proceeded beneath the beautiful procession of flickering lights, while Edward merely smirked upwards at them, shaking his head slightly in amusement at his sister's handiwork. I was unsure whether he had simply had so much exposure to Alice's showmanship over the course of his life that he was now just incredibly difficult to surprise, or if he just expected something so entirely unexpected of Alice any time she were allowed to work her figurative magic, that he was simply content to allow himself to sit back and fully enjoy the products of her imagination. No matter the case, he did a far better job at containing his enthusiasm than I did. I stared at him with perplexity, and he gazed back downward at me, cocking his eyebrow in my direction.

"What?" he asked, smiling at me with heart-stopping brilliance, a smile that outshone every flickering candle that we passed in the darkness. I shook my head ever so slightly in an attempt to regain my coherence beneath the force of it.

"Nothing. It's just – you seem so – _unphased,_ " I finished after a moment of deliberation. He chuckled ever so slightly, glancing away from me out the window for a moment to take in the beautiful sight of the warmly illuminated, leafless forest about us, before his eyes again found mine.

"Somebody has to keep Alice's hubris in check," he said with a warm, taunting grin. I rolled my eyes at him, grinning to myself at his frivolity.

The entrancing trail of candles continued past the edges of the forest, having been placed within lanterns in the bushes and topiaries of the ornate gardens that graced the front lawn of the mansion, and their enchanting stream of flickering light flowed up the emptied creek bed that led from the ornate fountain in the middle of the gardens up to the very stairs of the mansion, the lighting of which had also been altered to give it the appearance of flickering beneath the same glow that the candles provided, though I knew it to be simply an effect achieved with the existing, though undoubtedly magnificent lighting that typically graced the home. Whether it was real or simply an illusion did not matter in the slightest. All that mattered was that it looked nothing short of spectacular.

As our limo approached the grand, arching entrance of the mansion, Angela's eyes were pressed entirely against the glass of the window in unconcealed wonderment, as I recalled for the first time that she had never before seen the Cullen estate, and as I initially had, she was taking in her first mesmerizing glimpse of the true extent of the Cullen's affluence. Ben seemed to be equally as astounded as Angela, pressing his face to the window beside her, his eyes darting over every inch of the grand manor that lay before them.

"Your family lives _here_?" Ben exclaimed in dumbfounded excitement, spinning quickly to face Edward, who simply stared back at him with a devious grin, saying absolutely nothing in response. After a light chuckle at the clearly uncomfortable Ben's expense, he turned his gaze downwards towards me, placing his hand gently about my own.

"Shall we," he asked with a nod towards the door, as the limousine crawled to a stop before the grand arches of the estate. Upon emerging from the door of the limousine, I could already feel the deep base of the music filling the frigid night air about me, and as I turned to face the grand entryway to the Cullen estate, I couldn't help but allow my eyes to dart about me, for the first time absorbing the crowd of people flooding through the doorway to the mansion. Though they all were dressed in their finest, and easily could have passed for a well off, sophisticated crowd, it was apparent by their stares of amazement at the architectural masterpiece before them that they felt just as out of place in the Cullen's world of splendor as I did. I would be entirely unable to keep pace if it weren't for Edward's steady, guiding hand giving me the direction that I needed through the murky waters of sophistication.

As we followed the still awestruck Ben and Angela through the grand doorway of the mansion, my eyes landed upon Esme's beautifully caring smile, looking positively radiant in her elegant silver gown, welcoming all of the new guests arriving to her home. On her right hand side, she was joined by Alice, who as always, simply lit the room, in a dazzling red dress that seemed as though it were made entirely of rubies, with a radiant smile planted upon her face. Standing vigilantly behind the two stunning women, looking ever so slightly uncomfortable, albeit handsome in his pressed tuxedo, was Jasper, though he made no effort to introduce himself to anyone who entered the house, as nobody would have been aware of who he was to begin with.

"Bella – you look positively enchanting my dear" Esme said with a warm smile as her eyes swept over the length of me, extending her arms outwards towards me and pulling me into her body in a warm, caring embrace. I couldn't help but smile to myself as she held me, as though I truly was a member of her family now, and I allowed myself to bask in the warmth of that realization. As she released me, I couldn't help but notice Alice practically vibrating as she stared at me from her mother's side.

"You look incredible! It turned out perfectly!" She said with clear exhilaration, a brilliant smile washing over her features.

"You already knew that it would," I said, chuckling to myself as I raised a skeptical eyebrow at her.

"Well…" she began, furling her brow together as she glanced upwards in thought, "… I had certainly hoped that it would, but I honestly couldn't be certain until I saw you and cleaned you up a bit. I have to admit, Angela performed perfectly. I can't find a single hair out of – oh wait there's one," she said, her eyes suddenly honing in upon me as her hand darted to the top of my head. My eyes shot open widely and my posture suddenly became rigid as she ran her hands repeatedly over the back of my head.

"Alice would you stop?" Edward interjected, wrapping his forearm powerfully about my waist and pulling me backwards ever so gently into the perfect contours of his firm chest.

"She looks absolutely flawless," he said, his voice as smooth as satin. I felt the hot stain of crimson rising to my cheeks and quickly inhaled, attempting to dispel the coloration before it became overtly noticeable. Alice's eyes darted towards Edward with a steely edge of frustration before she glanced back downwards at me, her expression immediately softening.

"I suppose I can't argue with you. There isn't a single head that won't be turned by her this evening," she said, glancing at me with an odd mixture of encouragement and admiration. I felt the crimson within my cheeks burn with even greater intensity than it previously had.

"She's right Bella my dear," Esme said warmly, her cheeks glowing with affectionate cheer.

"Don't you agree Jasper?" she asked, glancing over her right shoulder towards her future son in law. Jasper did not acknowledge her, or even glance up from the tablet which he had been so intensely focused upon throughout the entirety of our conversation. It was almost as though he was entirely unaware of anything happening in the world about him.

"Jasper, stop obsessing. You're being incredibly rude," Alice whispered vigorously at her fiancé, slapping his shoulder offhandedly with her arm. I felt Edward's posture stiffen ever so slightly behind me, subconsciously pulling me more firmly against the entirety of his body. I did not need to glance upwards at his face to know that Edward's razor sharp intuition was already pulling the thoughts from Jasper's head.

"What happened?" Edward asked in a whisper, his voice filled with urgency as he moved himself and I a step forward towards Jasper so that we were ever so slightly further from the earshot of those around us. Jasper furled his brows together across his face as though he were incredibly exasperated by some turn of events. Something was clearly disturbing him, something that Alice did not seem to believe was of much importance, but Jasper certainly did. I could feel my curiosity pulling me subconsciously further from the crowds, from the party about us, as the family began to shift away from the doorway and into the corner where our conversation could be had with a modicum of privacy.

"Nothing happened. Jasper is just being paranoid," Alice whispered, rolling her eyes in irritation at Jasper.

"Alice, anything out of the ordinary could potentially constitute a risk. You know this to be true," Jasper responded in a whisper, placing his hand gently upon her shoulder.

"Jasper, what happened?" Edward reiterated with more intensity, his hushed tone so soft that I almost could not distinguish his voice over the noise of the gala, despite only being a few inches from his flawless lips. Jasper shook his head downwards at the tablet in his hands, before glancing upwards at Edward with unhedged intensity.

"I've lost two of them off of our watch list," he said tensely, his Adam's apple bobbing within the confines of his throat.

"See? It's honestly not a big deal," Alice whispered ferociously.

"What do you mean you _lost_ them?" Edward asked, his whisper suddenly weighted by tension.

"I mean exactly what I said. They simply vanished – almost as though they just dematerialized. There has been no trace of them for over four days," he said in a hurried whisper.

"Where were they last seen?" Edward asked intensely.

"Leaving Dublin on a flight to New York," Jasper replied quickly. I glanced upwards at Edward to find his features distorted in frustration.

"And? What happened to them when they arrived in New York?" Edward asked, raising the perfect arch of his eyebrow as he glared at Jasper with unhedged intensity, silently imploring him to elaborate.

"That's the part that is troubling me so greatly. According New York customs, they never _did_ arrive in New York. There is no record or trace of them ever entering the country at all, or entering any other country's borders for that matter. They've simply – disappeared," he said, choking on the last word as though it caused him pain to utter it. I felt Edward's arms tighten about me tensely, as I felt a sinking weight begin to develop in my own chest. I did not have to ask to decipher the reason that these particular individuals were being watched so closely by Jasper. They presented a risk to Edward's family; to _my_ family.

"Jasper, people disappear all the time. I'm sure that they will turn up…" Alice began reassuringly but Jasper cut her short.

"Alice, people sometimes disappear from the grid for several days at a time certainly, but never have I seen someone depart one country, and mysteriously never arrive in the country that was their destination," he said, staring downwards at Alice with a mixture of a tension, and assertion. We all continued to stare at Jasper, feeling the nearly tangible gravity that filled the stillness in the air, before I suddenly felt Edward glance about us at the partygoers who were surrounding us, for we were indeed still at the winter gala, though it had felt for the last few moments as though we had suddenly been whisked away to a different world full of secrecy and jeopardous peril.

"I believe that it would be in our best interest to postpone the remainder of this discussion to a later time," Edward whispered, the velvety texture of his voice laced with tension, glancing about the room vigilantly. It almost seemed impossible that we were surrounded by endlessly smiling faces, by laughter, and music, and frivolity, when I felt so nearly on the verge of suffocation.

"Keep me informed Jasper," Edward said with a nod, as he suddenly released his ensnarement about my waist, instead taking me cautiously by the hand, and with a gentle tug, guided me away from his family and into the grand foyer of the mansion. My eyes darted about the room, absorbing the wonderment of those around me as they walked through the grandiose estate for the first time, though I did my best to ignore the barely disguised stares that followed Edward and myself as we began to move through the room. Instead, I allowed my mind to drift through the open space of the foyer, attempting to pick up any errant conversations that I could as they fluttered about me in the air, concentrating upon them intently, upon the sounds of the crowds moving through the room, upon the bass of the music which traveled through the floor beneath my feet, and upon the endlessly comforting grasp of Edward's hand in mine. I focused upon anything, and everything that would allow me to attempt to shake the tension of our conversation from my body, as I knew that I would be entirely unable to play my part this evening with such inauspicious thoughts looming over me. It would be challenging enough for me to successfully make it through the gala, and the Miss Lakefront selection proceedings, without the additional anxiety I would cause myself by fixating upon the tension of our earlier conversation. I shook my head ever so slightly, clearing my mind of thought, and for the first time, noted the spectacular transformation of the grand foyer of the estate.

Along the back wall of the room there were numerous silver tables, which acted as a barrier of sorts, preventing the party guests from venturing down any of the corridors that led to the labyrinth of the estate. Instead they guided the guests towards the hallway to the right, whose double wide French doors were propped open, leading to the vast magnificence of the southern ballroom. From the ceiling of the grand foyer, hung dozens of glass snowflakes, which dangled at differing heights, giving them the appearance of snow falling about the massive chandelier in the center of the space, working perfectly in unison with the exquisite masterpiece. The tables about the room were adorned with multiple platters of cheeses, crudité, and delightful desserts of every variety imaginable, which were no doubt Esme's doing. I followed the extravagant setup about the edges of the room until my eyes landed upon something particularly perplexing, causing my eyebrow to involuntarily shoot upwards across my face, for resting at the base of the grand staircase was none other than a photo kiosk of the variety that one would typically find in a city shopping mall. I stared at the kiosk with perplexity for a moment, before I turned to glance upwards at Edward, allowing my questions to swim clearly in my eyes.

"What?" He asked, the corners of his lips tugging upwards ever so slightly into a playful smirk.

"Have you never seen a photo kiosk before?" He asked with a sarcastic chuckle, his eyes twinkling downwards at me with playful skepticism.

"Of course I have," I responded, rolling my eyes playfully at him.

"I was just wondering _why_ there was a photo kiosk sitting in the middle of your foyer," I clarified, glancing once again at the oddity of the sight before me. No piece of furniture had ever looked so spectacularly out of place within the halls of the Cullen Estate.

"Ah – I see," he responded, pausing momentarily as I glanced upwards at him, the flawless arches of his brows raising pointedly above his expression.

"I'm afraid that would be a question for Alice. I won't even so much as feign comprehension of her logic," he said, glancing downwards at me with a crooked smile. I perked an eyebrow, nodding absently in agreement as my eyes once again drifted to the machine before us, though it was nearly lost in the chaos of the crowded room. I doubted that I would ever comprehend the logic behind Alice's decisions. I would instead, simply continue to assume that she was nearly always correct, and as the rest of the world regularly did, I would continue to blindly trust her judgement. It was in that moment that I recalled the singular guideline that Alice had ever set forth for our friendship: don't ask. I sighed, contenting myself to grant her that request, if not solely for my own sanity.

"I'm sorry I asked," I said, exhaling heavily as I smirked back upwards at Edward. He simply shrugged his shoulders, before beginning to make his way through the crowded space, gracefully navigating through the throngs of students who watched him in star struck astonishment, until he was pulling back the black curtain of the photo booth.

"What are you doing?" I asked, chuckling in bafflement at the oddity of his behavior, as I felt my eyebrow raise yet again across my features.

"Entering the photo kiosk," he replied slowly, deliberately, as though it were the most obvious conclusion in the world.

"But – why?" I asked, chuckling at him as I felt an ever so slight smile of disbelief creep its way across my features.

"Why not?" He asked, cocking his head ever so slightly as his eyes darted towards the open curtain, exuding an unusual attitude of nonchalance, almost as though he were attempting to overcompensate for the tension of our earlier conversation, as though he in some way knew that I craved a distraction in order to survive the evening, something that I would have typically called him out on. However, in the face of the daunting ceremony that I surely had before me, I reluctantly deduced that his plan was actually a good one, and so I felt my hesitation begin to crumble beneath my feet.

"Besides, the more time you spend in here, the less time you have to spend socializing this evening," he added with a smirk, glancing about at the wonderstruck faces of our not so subtle audience, almost as though he had been able to somehow detect my resolve weakening.

"Fine," I said with a sigh, admitting defeat, grimacing playfully in his direction. He grinned back at me with an almost smug demeanor, though his expression remained playful. Not wishing to allow him such an easy victory, I drug my feet histrionically across the polished floors of the grand foyer as he chuckled at me softly, rolling his eyes lightly at my antics. He extended his hand to me, lowering me gently through the black of the curtain and into the brightly illuminated interior of the kiosk and stepped in gracefully behind me, sliding the curtain shut with his hand.

The interior of the kiosk was rather bare, with entirely white walls, and a small screen beneath the ever watchful eye of the camera lens. I was immediately overwhelmed by how brightly the depths of Edward's eyes seemed to shimmer in the stark, white florescent light of the interior of the booth, finding myself instantly captivated by them, falling deeper into his gaze, which he continued to lock upon me.

"So…" he began at long last, his eyes darting towards the screen before him, releasing me from my entrancement, although I had been in absolutely no hurry to escape it.

"... It would appear that we get three photos," he said, staring intently at the screen before again glancing in my direction.

"How would you care to begin?" He asked with a gentle smile, a smile that I could not help but return.

"I feel like a normal photo would probably be a good place to start," I said playfully, grinning upwards at him. He chuckled lightly to himself.

"A good place indeed," he said as he turned, leaning across the space to press the large photo button below the camera lens.

"Three, two, one," a female voice counted down from overhead, and I smiled in the direction of the camera with as much genuine enthusiasm as I could muster, a challenge that was made significantly easier by Edward's very presence. I heard the sound of a shutter click come from the speaker in the ceiling and I allowed a small sigh to escape me as I thought of the preposterous nature of the activity in which I was currently engaging. I quickly repelled the thought, focusing instead upon the moment before me.

"What next?" I asked, glancing back upwards at Edward. He furled his brow together in mock concentration. I could help but to roll my eyes at him, smirking ever so slightly.

"I would find it rather unimaginable to enter a photo kiosk and not leave with at least one photo of myself making a ridiculous face," he said at long last, grinning downwards at me. I reached across the booth to press the photo button, and once again heard the voice counting down from within the ceiling. I opened my mouth as widely as I could, sticking my tongue out in a ridiculous fashion only moments before I heard the sound of the shutter click. As soon as the photo had been taken, I could again feel Edward's gaze resting upon me.

"What did you wish to do for our last photo, my love?" He asked me softly, as I felt his hand lightly come to a rest upon the small of my back. It was a question for which I did not have an answer.

"Um - I'm not sure? Something spontaneous maybe?" I asked glancing upwards at Edward. Without any reply whatsoever his hand darted across the booth, appearing to be but a blur as he pressed the camera button.

"Edward! What are you…" I began to ask, utterly bewildered, when I was suddenly greeted by the surreal, intangible energy of the perfection of his flawless lips pressing firmly into my own. I felt the entirety of my objections, my fears, and my anxieties melt beneath the irresistible force of his passion, as I pressed my lips into his forcefully, wishing to entirely close the space between us. His lips moved in perfect synch with my own, before he ever so hesitantly pulled back from me, keeping the power of his golden gaze locked upon me. I could hear nothing but glorious music and the pounding of my own heart within my chest.

"Was that spontaneous enough?" He asked me, his lips tugging upwards ever so slightly at the edges, his eyes twinkling as lustrously as gold.

"Ten out of ten would recommend," I replied softly, and the confined space of the kiosk suddenly rang with the sound of his laughter, although as always it sounded less like laughter and more like the song of a wind chime in the summer's breeze. As his laughter began to subside, he again gazed forward at the screen.

"How many copies do you think would be sufficient?" he asked with a playful smirk.

"Oh at least a few dozen," I replied facetiously, chuckling beneath my breath.

"Alright," he said, jabbing his finger at the screen until the number sixty appeared in flashing green.

"Edward, I was kidding!" I exclaimed, my mouth agape as I laughed uproariously at him. I felt him grasp my hand firmly, yet carefully, and pull me through the curtain after him into the warm embrace of his chest, wrapping his arms about me firmly, and pulling my lips to his once more.

"You're ridiculous," I whispered as he slowly pulled his lips away from mine, staring down at me with the slightest semblance of a playful smirk, before he quickly reached his hand behind me to retrieve the first set of photos that was being printed in the long string of photo film that was spewing out of the machine and across the foyer floor. He smiled down at me gently as he presented the photo strip to me, placing it gently in my hands.

There before me, were the three most flawless photographs that I had ever seen. The first was an encapsulation of pure joy, with Edward's gorgeously brilliant smile, and flawless complexion looking every bit as spectacular in the image as he did before me. It almost appeared as though he were the model being used to sell the photographs as opposed to being a simple patron. I sat beside him, smiling cheerfully, looking spectacularly unlike myself. Instead, I looked as though I were royalty, pulled straight from the pages of a fairytale. For the first time, gazing upon myself beside his remarkable beauty, I did not feel as though I appeared out of place, and I allowed myself to bask in the warmth of that thought. The second photo consisted of me sticking my tongue out wildly, while Edward had inflated his cheeks, and pulled his ears outward in a fashion similar to a primate. I was unable to stifle the chuckle which erupted from my lips upon view the image. Finally my gaze landed upon the third photo, a photograph that I felt was entirely unparalleled by any that I had ever laid eyes upon. Edward's flawless lips were forever captured against my own, as was his hand along my waist, his other hand upon the back of my neck. There was something else about the photo that was significantly less tangible, but every bit as apparent. It was almost as though the song that filled the silence about me when I was in Edward's presence had somehow been captured upon the very film that I held within my hand, as though the flames within my soul were actually visible, enveloping me entirely in their undeniable warmth. It was immediately my favorite of the three, my favorite image that ever been captured. I found my gaze absently drifting upwards from the images of Edward that I held between my fingertips to gaze upon the reality of him, standing before me, and I was unable to hold back the force of the smile that overtook my expression as I gazed upon him. The smile that he returned to me was nothing short of astonishing.

"I love them," I whispered, glancing back downwards at the flawless perfection of the photos which I held in my hand.

"I love them too," I heard him whisper softly, his voice so gentle that it seemed to drift through the very air itself, wafting it's way about my fluttering heart.

"Thank you," I whispered, glancing back upwards at him, my smile still firmly locked upon my face.

"For what?" He asked, his eyebrow jutting upward as a perplexed smirk worked its way ever so delicately across his features. I glared upwards at him skeptically, as though it were in any way possible that he was unaware of what he had successfully managed to do for me.

"For distracting me – for allowing me to escape in the moment when I needed it the most," I said, glancing downward once more at the photos in my hand. It had of course seemed a ridiculous, nay absurd activity, but it seemed that the reward had certainly been worth it.

"You are welcome my love," he said softly, pulling my head against his chest, burying his gentle lips into the top of my hair.

"I would, of course, be more than willing to continue distracting you – if you so wished," he offered, and I could clearly see the smirk that he likely wore in my mind.

"You know that I do," I responded, rolling my eyes playfully as I pressed my cheek against the firmness of his chest, as his arms tightened ever so slightly about me. Without warning, he released me from his comforting embrace, grasping my hand gently in his, and began to lead me towards the open french doors on the southern side of the foyer, through which the bass seemed to pour into the cavernous room.

"Where are we going?" I asked, as he led me forward, not betraying any indication as to his motives, likely knowing that my curiosity would keep my mind from drifting down more precarious paths of thought.

"To dance," He replied with brevity, guiding me through the doors and into the grandiose southern ballroom of the estate.

"Edward…" I began, preparing to protest adamantly. Edward was well aware of my particular inability to perform any task requiring even a moderate degree of coordination, something that dancing certainly fell into the category of.

"Just one song," Edward asked, turning to face me, the warmth of his innocently pleading expression impossible to deny.

"Just _one_ song," I reinforced with a sigh. As soon as he had received my consent, he resumed his stride forward, guiding me into the spectacular space of the ballroom. The marble walls had been adorned with candles similar to those furnishing the exterior of the estate, and the bass of the music reverberated with such power about the room that I felt almost fearful that the two massive, ornate chandeliers fastened to the ceiling may begin to shake themselves apart. On the far end of the room, a temporary stage had been erected against the tall glass windows of the ballroom, through which the turquoise lighting of the pool shimmered and shifted, accenting the dancing colored lights of the stage. Edward briefly made eye contact with the DJ, who nodded back at him in unspoken acknowledgement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to slow things down a bit, so go grab your special someone, and make your way to the dance floor," the DJ said over the microphone, his voice echoing about the marble walls of the spacious chamber. I had just begun to look up at Edward with mock ridicule when my heart suddenly leapt within my chest as the sound of the first note rang through the air. My breath caught instantly in my chest and my eyes widened immensely as I stared upwards at him in shock. Wafting through the air about us, like the gentle, crisp sound of spring rainfall, were the riffs and melodies of the song that Edward had composed for me, the song inspired by the love that he felt for me. It was the song that he had first played for me on the night that he welcomed me into the darkness of his world, the melody that I had suspected would perfectly accompany the tempo of his flawless heartbeat. I stared upwards at his warm expression, feeling the burning of moisture brimming beneath my eyelids. I fought against it, pushing it deep within me, but I could not deny the overwhelming power and warmth of the fire within my heart at that very moment. I loved him with every fiber of my being.

He guided me forward into the crowd of people, despite the eyes that were locked upon us from every direction, and wrapped his arms about my waist, guiding my body slowly back and forth to the rhythm of his own composition. He pulled me in towards him until my cheek rested gently against the smooth, cool fabric of his shirt, and for the first time, I knew with certainty I had been correct. I could have soared for all eternity in that moment, swaying gently to the keystrokes of Edward's talented fingers across the piano, hearing the song swim through the air about me, complimenting perfectly the flawless melody of Edward's heart, beating softly and sweetly into my ear. I could do nothing but absorb the heat of his body against mine, feel the power of his solid form against me, smell the swirling aromas of pine and rain flow from him and fill my head, and feel the incredible burn of his passion flow into my soul through the music that surrounded me.

It could have been seconds, hours, or even years that we stayed that way, for the length of time felt entirely irrelevant to me, as I could have spent the rest of eternity with him in that moment. The only thing of which I was certain was that it was much too soon when he pulled away from me, releasing my waist and beginning to again guide me forward by the hand, this time leading me to the magnificent rounded staircase along the backside of the ballroom, which had been blocked off from the partygoers by another opulent dessert table. He moved us quickly around it and began to guide me up the stairwell until we had reached the top. It was only then that he once again wrapped his hand gently about my waist, and stared down into the crowd of people dancing gently below us, his gaze seeming pensive, and content, though I could discern some errant, restless thought swimming about in the depths of his eyes.

"What?" I asked him, my eyebrow raising in perplexity. He continued to stare out across the slowly swaying crowd as the sounds of his own melodies wafted about the room, though I had the distinct feeling that he was not truly watching the scene before us. He seemed far too absorbed in his own thoughts for true observation.

"Bella, do you remember the day that I asked you meet me along the shore of the lake? The day that I first kissed you," he asked at long last, interrupting the silence between us, which had previously only been filled by the strokes of the piano.

"Of course," I began, looking up at him with perplexity.

"Although if my memory is correct you didn't exactly _ask_ me to meet you there. You subtly suggested that I find a place to reflect as I tore myself apart," I reminded him, recalling the distant memory once more to the forefront of my mind. It seemed almost a lifetime ago that he had confused me so, both pulling away from me, and yet lunging forward into my life at the same time.

"I _am_ sorry about that," he said, looking ever so slightly dejected as he stared outwards across the crowd.

"Don't be. I forgave you a very long time ago," I replied, chuckling lightly as I smiled upwards at him. He glanced downwards at me briefly, before again gazing absently outwards at the crowd.

"Do you remember how it felt - sitting there beside the water I mean?" He asked me, his eyes glancing downward to carefully observe my every expression.

"How could I forget?" I asked him, smiling gently as the flood of memories raced through my head: the confusion, the longing, and the overwhelming ecstasy of discovering that he desired me as I desired him. Such memories, for me, though increasingly distant, would never fade in their power.

"Why do you ask?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow gently upwards at him, still entirely unsure of where our conversation was leading. He turned his gaze outwards once more, staring about the room.

"It seems that as of late, my mind keeps drifting back to the feeling of that moment more frequently. I can still recall every sensation, the breeze across the lake, the way your hair flowed in the wind, the blush of your cheeks, your floral scent, and the pounding of my own heart within my chest as I finally allowed myself to give in to a feeling that I now realized I would never have been able to suppress. Even then my efforts were futile. It did not matter that I could potentially be damning you to a life of peril and hardship, for I had never before experienced such undeniable power as what you possessed, and still do possess, over me. There was never even the most remote possibility that I would have been able to pull myself away from you at that point," he said, pausing briefly, as he closed his eyes momentarily in thought. When he opened them once more, his gaze shifted downwards to me, burning into me with undeniable passion, with an intensity that would have pierced every barrier that I could have placed before it, finding its way directly into my heart, into my soul.

"And still, to this very day, every time I lay eyes upon you it feels exactly the way it did the very first time, and I instantly feel myself crumble beneath your ironclad hold upon me once more. Of any possession to which I have ever been privy, or of any person whose company has ever graced my presence, you are, by a rather significant margin, the best thing that I have ever had the privilege of calling mine," he said, his eyes blazing into me like molten fire, causing my very insides to melt within me. I could feel the radiant brilliance of the smile which crept its way across my face, burning more brilliantly than the sun itself.

"Not that I am implying that you are mine, as in a possession or…" he suddenly interjected, his eyes darting towards the ground as his words suddenly began to rapidly stumble forth from his lips in such an uncharacteristically self-conscious fashion. I had to admit that even when he was embarrassed I found him endearing. I held my hand upwards to cease his apology.

"It's ok. I understood what you meant," I said, smiling unabashedly upwards at him. I could see a subtle grin make its way across his features, as his eyes glanced upwards into mine once again, wordlessly thanking me for my forgiveness.

"I've been wanting to give you something for quite a while," he began, smiling at me ever so slightly, his typical confidence seeming to have returned to him.

"I simply have been waiting for the appropriate moment. This is something I thought might be able to help us hold on to the best memories that we have, so that perhaps, in our darkest hours, we may be able to look back upon them, and have them hold on to us in return," he said, reaching into the interior of his tuxedo jacket. He pulled from within it, a small black unmarked journal, which he then held forward towards me.

"It's just a little something that I put together as I was combing back through my own thoughts," he said with a small, genuine smile, his expression radiating humility.

"However – you must promise me one thing, if you would be so generous, and I'm afraid that you aren't allowed to ask me why," he said, gazing down at me with the most tender intensity that I had ever seen adorning his expression.

"Of course," I responded softly, "What is it?"

"Don't read the last page," he said, nodding his head gently in my direction, awaiting my unconditional promise, though I hadn't the slightest idea why he would have me agree to such a bizarre request.

"Of course – I promise," I said, nodding my head, remembering that I was not to ask him why he had made such a strange request, though I could in no way fathom why reading a particular page would make any difference.

"I've sealed it to the back binder of the book so that you won't accidentally open it, but you are of course, free to read any other page you wish, as they are dedicated to all of the greatest memories that I have of you, and I hope that over time, you will be able to add some of your favorites as well," he said with a heartwarming smile so dazzling that it threatened to cause me to hyperventilate. He nodded at me, encouraging me to open the gift that he had just ever so graciously bestowed upon me, and I obliged, taking the book carefully in my hands, and turning over the cover so as to open the first page.

Written across the top of the page in his elegant script were the words: _The place I first laid eyes upon the woman who would teach me the meaning of the word love._ Beneath his elegant handwriting was a picture of the shorefront as taken from the place in the forest where I had first laid eyes upon him, and below the photograph, in small print, was the date of the first time that he and I had ever met there. As I flipped through the book, feeling the texture of the paper beneath my fingertips, I found pages dedicated to some of my favorite moments that I had ever shared with him: the first time we touched in biology, a menu excerpt of the items he had ordered us on our first date at the pizzeria, a photo of the kappa house, an artificial leaf he had taken from Alice's haunted house, and a piece of folded, handwritten sheet music he had used to compose the ballad that I had inspired. At the bottom of each page, beneath the photograph of us, or of the place we had been, or of the piece of memorabilia associated with each memory, there was printed the exact date of every event that had transpired between us. I continued to turn through the pages, each more beautiful than the last, until eventually the pages were entirely blank, blank spaces that I would one day fill with even more memories between myself and the inconceivably incredibly man who stood before me. Upon reaching the blank pages, I placed the photographs of myself and Edward from earlier in the evening into the crease between the pages, and closed the journal gently in my hands, glancing upward at him, sealing them there as the first new chapter in our story, feeling the dam that had been holding back the burning moisture in my eyes begin to fail as a tear began to slide down my cheek.

"This is incredible Edward," I said, making my best attempt not to allow him to see the burning moisture spilling from my eyes, or the tightness of the warmth in my chest.

"Thank you so much," I whispered.

"I love you," he said, wrapping his arm about my waist, and pulling me into the contours of his chest as I struggled to pull my hands upwards to my eyes in an attempt to discreetly wipe the moisture from them that was spilling silently down my cheeks.

"I love you too," I said, sniffling ever so slightly as I pulled myself into his embrace. I held the journal tightly in my hand, as the last notes of the piano filled the room. He slowly leaned forward and placed the warmth of his lips ever so softly against my forehead, whispering gently against my skin as the final note of his ballad hung delicately in the air about us.

"Forever and always."


	30. Chapter 30

After an immeasurable time spent absorbing every incredible detail of his tender embrace, he began to release me from his body, keeping his arm firmly wrapped about my waist, as we turned to gaze outward across the festivities that were taking place below us. The bass had once again began to throb, practically shaking the ground beneath my feet, and the colored lights illuminated the mass of gyrating bodies beneath our gazes from our perch high above the ballroom. It did not matter the musical backdrop of the scene before me, as I was entirely able to recognize that it was a scene of happiness, merriment, and celebration. The semester had reached its conclusion, final exams were drawing to a close, and the release of months' worth of stress was almost tangible in the atmosphere of the party that was taking place below us. Though I would not express myself in the same way that the guests of the gala were at that moment, I certainly did feel as though a measure of weight had been lifted from my shoulders, though the relief was incomplete, as my last exam, biology, did not occur for several more days. It would inevitably be my most consequential, seeing as how the only chance I had at passing biology, was to pass my final exam. It was no fault of my own that my grade in the class was so precarious. Biology was simply incomprehensible to me. I shook my head slightly, attempting to dispel the thought from my mind, instead focusing upon the warmth of Edward's arm about my waist, and the joviality of the dancing crowd below me.

I found it easy enough to allow myself to become lost in the scene as my gaze drifted lazily over it, watching the brilliant smiles crossing my classmates expressions as they danced with friends and lovers alike. My gaze landed upon one student in particular who seemed to be dancing with particular enthusiasm. Her glittering pink gown flowed about her as though it had been designed by the goddess Athena herself, and I felt the weight of my entire demeanor begin to lift watching her dance so lightheartedly. She span about abruptly, her brunette waves fanning out with elegance, and at the sight of her I felt as though I had suddenly been struck by one of Edward's powerful blows as the air quickly rushed from my body, and my posture suddenly became rigid, for there, dancing amongst the crowd, looking even more radiant than I remembered her, was Jessica. My heart pounded violently against my ribcage, ringing through my ears with every torturous beat, urging me to flee, to disappear, to hide myself before the flames once again consumed me and everything that I held dear. Edward glanced downward at me, his expression suddenly colored with worry as he raised an eyebrow in concern, obviously having noticed my sudden tension.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concern swimming readily in his glorious eyes. I glanced upwards at him, attempting to reel in the terror that I was sure was entirely unconcealed in my eyes. I nodded downwards at the crowd, my eyes darting towards Jessica's dancing form momentarily, before staring upwards at Edward once again, my panic beginning to clench itself about my chest with irresistible force. I saw him gaze outward over the crowd with scrutiny, attempting to identify the cause of my anxiety, when his eyes narrowed menacingly as his gaze locked upon Jessica, the person responsible for creating so much turmoil in our lives, enjoying herself so vividly within the confines of his own home. He glanced back up at me, he eyes swimming with perplexed fury, though he made his best attempt to conceal his emotions so as not to further exacerbate my sudden panic. I appreciated the gesture, but I knew him far too well to be fooled by tactics that would have easily convinced others.

"Ah," He said, glancing down at the ground, furling his brows together in vexation.

"What is she doing here?" I asked him, staring upwards at him wildly, as I attempted desperately to contain my galloping heart.

"I'm honestly not sure. The gala was an open invitation event to any student at Lakefront, but I would have thought her to have the good sense not to show her face here," he said, his eyes wide in incredulity as he stared downwards at her, clearly perplexed by her egotistical attitude, before his confusion was entirely overwhelmed by the intensity of his fury.

"I'll see to it that Alice has her removed at once," He said, glancing back up to meet my eyes, clearly searching to see if I was satisfied with that course of action, which admittedly, was something of which I was entirely uncertain. On one hand, it would please me greatly to watch the woman who had attempted to ruin the life of my beloved be forcibly removed from such a momentous social gathering as the one that we were currently attending, something that to Jessica, would likely seem a fate worse than death itself. It was what she deserved. However, I could not help but feel that she would in no way take her leave of us quietly, but rather, would cause quite the substantial scene in the dead center of an event that was meant to be incredibly festive and lively.

"No," I said, shaking my head ever so slightly as I gazed over the edge of the balcony down at her.

"I'm sorry?" Edward said, his confusion plainly apparent in his voice.

"We can't have her removed. At least – not forcibly. You of all people should be aware of the fact that she wouldn't go quietly," I said, glancing back upwards at him with exasperation. He gazed downwards at me, and I could tell that he knew me to be correct, though it did nothing but irritate him further.

"Well – what course of action would you recommend instead?" He asked, sighing heavily. I paused for a moment, pushing through the haze that surrounded my mind.

"I think that we should simply avoid her," I said, cocking an eyebrow up at him as I spoke.

"You think that we should hide from her?" He asked, his eyebrow raised in return, his face contorted in an expression that led me to believe that he was seriously questioning my level of sanity.

"No – not hide – maybe I should rephrase. We shouldn't avoid her per se – but I don't think it would be wise to go out of our way to intentionally confront her either," I said, feeling a fresh wave of anxiety roll through my body. To say that Jessica could, at times, be wildly unpredictable, was a gross understatement. There was no telling how she would react if she were to notice our presence. Edward continued to glance down at me in disbelief, before his expression softened.

"If that is what you wish," he said, nodding at me, though I could still see the gravity buried deep in his expression. I sighed once more, meeting his penetrating gaze with my own.

"I believe it's what would be best," I said softly, glancing about, suddenly realizing the exposure of our position.

"Although, if our goal is not to be noticed, perhaps we shouldn't continue standing in such a conspicuous location," I suggested, nodding towards the stairs. Edward did not see my gesture, but rather, was staring downwards into the crowd of people, his eyes ever so slightly widened with tactfully concealed alarm.

"I believe it may be too late for that," he muttered softly, as I followed his gaze downward into the horde of people below us, until my eyes at long last landed upon Jessica. Her bright blue eyes stared upwards directly into my own. I felt a fleeting shiver roll its way down my body as I stared her down, entirely frozen in indecision, unsure whether I should continue boldly forward towards our inevitable confrontation, or if I should flee hand in hand with Edward, and postpone our interaction for another time. No matter which decision I made, I knew that I would have to do so quickly, as Jessica suddenly began making her way through the mass of gyrating bodies towards the bottom of the staircase atop which Edward and I were currently standing. I stared up at him, my irresolution plainly written across my face.

"Not here," he said, nodding at me, raising an eyebrow, and I nodded back in his direction. He was of course correct. Any confrontation I intended to have with Jessica should be done with as much discretion as possible, and as I was already aware, this was neither the time, nor the place for such an interaction.

"We should go then," I said with urgency, grasping his hand with my own.

"Quickly," I added, turning towards the stairs to my left, pulling at his hand as I began to make my way down the stairs as rapidly as I could. I was aware that Jessica had a head start across the large space of the ballroom, but I also realized that she had a far greater number of obstructions preventing her from crossing the room expeditiously. Even knowing that I had a certain advantage of speed as my feet carried me down the empty stairway, I could not bring myself to look up to see how close she was to standing before us, and simply resolved to focus on the archway that represented our exit from the ballroom, where it would be rather unchallenging for us to become lost in the labyrinth of hallways that wound their way through the Cullen mansion. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs and making my way about the table which obstructed them from the other party goers, my eyes landed upon the pink stiletto directly before my path upon the polished tile floor, and my eyes snapped upwards to see Jessica, standing directly before me, blocking the path of my egress. I felt my chest tighten with extreme force, threatening to suffocate me from within as her glare bored into me. My eyes darted about the room as I took an unsteady step backwards, feeling Edward's powerful forearm wrap its way about my waist protectively, as I attempted to keep the contents of my stomach from spilling out across the polished tile floor of the ballroom.

"H – hi – Jessica," I at long last managed to stammer out, my eyes darting to the floor momentarily before I inhaled sharply, closing my eyes in order to steady myself, and opened them to gaze upon her, making my best attempt to appear fearless and powerful, and most of all, hoping that she would be unable to see my courage for the facade that it was.

"Bella," she responded simply, cocking an eyebrow at me.

"You're looking – healthy," she said with a smile of faux friendliness, as her eyes roamed their way down my features and then back upwards to meet my gaze. I took another step backwards, another step away from the predator that was lurking before me, allowing my eyes to ever so briefly dart towards the archway, towards my escape.

"Bella wait," Jessica said, extending her arm in my direction, clearly seeing that I was searching for an escape from the conversation that was about to unfold between us. My eyes darted back to hers, holding her gaze unsteadily. I glanced upwards at Edward momentarily, but he did not notice my stare, as the full power of his golden gaze bore venomously into Jessica. He pulled me further against his side, positioning himself ever so slightly before me, as though to shield me from whatever she was about to unleash upon me. My hand grasped at the iron strength of his arm, pulling his calming energy into me, allowing it to wash through my body, grounding me to the floor. I inhaled deeply, suddenly certain that no matter what it was that Jessica was preparing to unleash upon me in the coming moments, I would be able to stand my ground in the face of her. I glanced upwards at her, meeting her eyes with the hardened edge of my own determination. I would not allow her to cast me into the flames again.

I raised my eyebrow at her expectantly, observing her as her eyes glanced between myself and Edward, who continued to glare at her, poised against me as though it were taking every ounce of his composure not to spring upon her, and I was all too aware that should his restraint fail him, I would be entirely powerless to stop him.

"Well, actually…" Jessica began hesitantly beneath the intensity of Edward's gaze, which seemed to have unsettled her.

"... you look really pretty tonight," she said, her eyes darting back downwards towards the floor, as though it nearly embarrassed her to admit as much, before glancing upwards once again to meet my gaze.

"Anyways – I just wanted to tell you that I read your article," she said in an uncharacteristically unembellished way, at least for Jessica. I couldn't help but be struck by her words, as a mixture of surprise and confusion flooded their way through my core.

"You – you did?" I stammered, my eyes widening in shock. I almost did not notice Edward glance down at me from my periphery, a measure of perplexity suddenly working its way about his furious features.

"Ok no. I didn't actually _read_ it," Jessica admitted reluctantly.

"But I did watch the video," she declared with a measure of assertion as I continued to stare at her in wide eyed bemusement.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked her blatantly, entirely baffled that she had sought me out so boldly after having played such a major role in both Edward's and my undoing. It seemed to me that the fact that she had heard our story was entirely irrelevant.

"I guess I just wanted to say that – while I still don't understand why it wasn't me…" she began, but Edward interrupted her with a stifled chuckle. I glanced upwards at him condescendingly and he immediately shot me a repentant look. I turned back to face Jessica, who was clearly attempting to not let it be seen how deeply hurt she was by Edward's actions. I was unable to bring myself to feel more than an ever so slight amount of sympathy for her, for in the end, she had caused me far more suffering than that one small action would ever cause her.

"Go ahead," I prompted her, nodding gently in her direction.

"I guess that what I'm trying to say is – I get it. The two of you are obviously really good for each other, and I guess it's possible that I sort of miss you a little bit Bella, so…" she said pausing dramatically to shrug her shoulders in my direction.

"… I guess I forgive you," she finished, her expression softening ever so slightly as the subtle hint of a hopeful smile tugged upwards at the edges of hers lips.

"I beg your pardon?" Edward said, his expression contorted with resentment.

"I do very much hope that I misheard you, but I believe I just heard you say that you _forgive_ her, as though you have anything at all to forgive," Edward said, his voice icy with bitter incredulity. Jessica's mouth opened widely in offense at his tone.

"Edward, please," I said, raising my hand upwards to keep him from speaking as I stared at Jessica, attempting to discern any trace of insincerity in her expression. I could detect no indication of falsification in her mannerisms, though Jessica's sudden change of heart still seemed so incredibly out of character for her that I immediately suspected that she had some sort of ulterior motive behind her sudden forgiveness. Still, I allowed her proposition to swim about my head, as I considered the ramifications of her words. It was true that Jessica had cast me aside without any hesitation, and had actively attempted to destroy both Edward and myself in her crusade for vengeance, and yet still, knowing how capricious and spiteful Jessica could be, I couldn't help but feel that she made a better ally than she did a foe. I would never again accept her into my inner circle, and I would certainly never trust her, but I also had no desire to carry forward a poisonous feud between us, especially given that she had come before me now with a metaphorical olive branch in order to mend the strife between us. No, I determined. I would not refuse an opportunity for peace.

"Thank you Jessica," I said with a sigh, accepting her forgiveness, for I knew Edward to be wrong in this situation. While Jessica's transgressions had certainly been far larger than my own in this particular situation, I too had committed improprieties. I should never have allowed Edward to accept her approaches, I should never have encouraged him to create a false rapport with her in order to deflect suspicion from our activities, and for that I would gladly accept her forgiveness, though I doubted that those were the things that she was actually forgiving me for. I suspected that she was likely forgiving me simply for being with Edward instead of her in the first place.

"Are we friends again?" she asked, a sanguine expression spilling itself across her features.

"I – I'm not sure," I admitted truthfully, for I was entirely unsure of whether or not friendship would ever again be a possibility for Jessica and I. I supposed that it depended upon exactly what the motivations behind her actions were. The only thing of which I was entirely certain at present, was that Jessica had offered me a Band-Aid with which to mend our friendship. It seemed improbable to me that a Band-Aid would be able to mend a bullet wound.

"I think that perhaps someday, there's at least a chance that we could be friends again," I said, attempting to be as transparently honest as possible, while mustering the warmest smile that I could in my state of confliction. She returned my smile in earnest for a moment, before her features suddenly lit animatedly.

"Ok that's good enough for me!" she said, with an exuberant smile, having returned to her typical self, as I could tell that conversations requiring any semblance of humility had never particularly been her strong suit. I stared with bewilderment at the sudden change in her temperament, for Jessica was the only person that I had ever met capable of immediate and complete changes in mood.

"By the way, congratulations – to both of you!" She said, smiling brilliantly as her eyes darted between Edward and myself with energetic enthusiasm. I felt my eyebrow raise in perplexity as my gaze darted upwards towards Edward, who appeared to be similarly confused.

"For what – exactly?" He asked her, his eyes narrowing ever so subtly in suspicion, though I doubted that Jessica would be observant enough to notice such a subtle nuance.

"On your nominations!" She said with an enthusiastic grin, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I just can't believe that I know three different people who have been nominated for Mister or Miss Lakefront this year. Isn't that just incredible," she said, smiling broadly at Edward and myself. It was in that very moment, watching the excitement upon Jessica's features, that I at long last saw what I had been missing. The source of her sudden forgiveness, the reason she had been willing to even partially admit her wrong doings, something which was incredibly uncharacteristic of her, had nothing to do with my article at all, and everything to do with the publicity that it had brought me. As she always had, she desired nothing more than popularity, and the power that came with such popularity, and as of late I had certainly become somewhat of an unwilling enigma about campus, attracting attention effortlessly at every turn, the type of attention that Jessica desired more than anything else. Of course it made sense for her to attempt to make amends with me, and with Edward as well. I represented, at least in her mind, the path of least resistance to attain what she truly desired. Her apology was nothing but a farce, and yet still, even having realized her duplicitous motives, she was still far less detrimental to my well-being if she were attempting to garner my praise, than if she were actively attempting to thwart my happiness, and so, I resolved that I would continue down the path towards peace. Still, I would never again allow Jessica to be counted amongst those that I considered my friends.

"Yes – incredible," I responded at long last, making my best attempt to conceal my newfound knowledge. I was with Edward now. I too had the skill to feign pleasantries.

"Three people?" Edward suddenly asked, the flawless arch of his eyebrow lifting above his angelic expression.

"Yes. You, Bella, and Alice of course. You didn't forget about your own sister now did you Edward?" She asked, rolling her eyes playfully in Edward's direction as a coquettish smile graced the edges of her lips. Edward exhaled audibly, and I could imagine his glorious eyes rolling upwards towards the ceiling without even needing to glance in his direction, as Jessica shifted her body towards him flirtatiously. I felt my fists beginning to clench tightly with frustration at her blatant disrespect, and had intended to voice my concerns when a booming voice filled the air, erupting from the speakers and reverberating about the room.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it's almost time to present to you, your annual Mister and Miss Lakefront! Would the contestants kindly make their way to the staging area at this time," the booming voice of the DJ said, ringing about the room. I glanced back towards Jessica, feeling my aggravation beginning to subside, being entirely replaced by the ominous claws of dread. Jessica shot me a brief smile.

"Good luck Bella," she said warmly, and though I had a great number of reservations, I realized that what Jessica had done was the closest thing that I would ever receive to an apology, and so, I would accept it for all that it was worth.

"Thanks Jess," I said sheepishly, staring back downward towards the ground. I could feel Edward release his arm from about my waist, instead placing his hand in mine as I meshed my fingers through his. He then began to gently guide me forward through the crowd. I raised my head upwards, inhaling deeply, making my best attempt to feign confidence.

"Good luck Edward," Jessica called after us, her voice laced with flirtation as we began to make our way through the throngs of people. Edward audibly grumbled beneath his breath, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling as we proceeded.

"That was far to kind of you. She deserved far worse," He said softly, continuing to look straight forward as we proceeded through the crowd.

"Perhaps," I said softly, glancing upwards at him.

"You are aware that her apology was entirely for show, aren't you?" He asked softly, glancing back downwards at me, concern swimming in the golden depths of his eyes.

"Of course I am..." I said nodding my head in his direction, smiling ever so slightly at him, something that I could tell did nothing but confuse him further.

"... But still – I'd rather not call anyone my enemy if I can avoid it. Even Jessica," I said softly, sighing as I shook my head ever so slightly. I saw the slightest semblance of a smile tug upwards at the edges of his lips.

"She doesn't deserve you," he practically whispered.

"Actually – sometimes I don't even believe that _I_ deserve you," he said, squeezing my hand gently as a sigh escaped his lips.

"I don't really have time at the moment to tell you all the ways that you're being ridiculous," I said, rolling my eyes at him, a smile breaking across my lips without permission.

"I'll take a raincheck," he whispered, glancing downwards at me as he stopped, for we had reached the staging area for the contestants and it was time for him to momentarily take his leave of me. He leaned forward ever so slightly, placing the incredible warmth of his lips lightly upon the skin of my forehead.

"Good luck my love," he whispered, and I could not help but beam upwards at him, even through my ever mounting apprehension.

"The same to you," I whispered, as he smiled down upon me magnificently, before striding the few paces across the space and disappearing through the black curtain that held the staging area for the men. I knew with certainty that none of them would ever be able to hold a candle to Edward, for in my heart, he would always be victorious.

"Bella," I heard a familiar musical voice hiss from beside me, and I swiveled about rapidly to see Alice gesturing at me frantically to join her in the line of women who represented the contestants for this year's Miss Lakefront competition. They were all exquisitely beautiful: the girl in the front being a tall slender woman, with a fair face and long blond curls, the second girl a beautiful strawberry blonde, and the last having hair so dark that it seemed to almost be onyx, which extended clear down to her waist. They were all incredibly poised, and I instantly felt inferior to all three of them, and of course Alice, who stood behind the three other women, though I had long ago come to terms with feeling perpetually inferior to Alice. The other three contestants seemed to partially share my sentiments, as their expressions made it rather apparent that they were in no way sure why they had agreed to attend the ceremony, as they all knew, just as the rest of the school did, that exactly as she had the last three years, Alice would once again walk away with the Miss Lakefront crown. How could she not? She was entirely unequaled by anyone about campus, the queen of Lakefront University, and a woman of unparalleled ability. I felt humbled to simply be staged in the same room as her. I had just taken my place behind Alice in the line when I heard a warm, familiar voice ring out about the space of the ballroom.

"Good evening everyone," I heard the voice say, and I felt my eyes dart upwards to the stage to confirm my suspicions, as Angela stood before the crowd, speaking into the golden microphone in the center of the stage. Her black dress glittered spectacularly in the spotlight that was trained upon her. Alice could not have made a better choice for whom was to present this year's awards, as Angela was not only known for her gracious kindness about campus, but for her fairness and honesty. It seemed an entirely appropriate choice.

"It's time to begin the main event of the evening, and I suppose, the main event of the fall semester. The selection of this year's Mister and Miss Lakefront University, as voted upon by all of you," Angela's warm voice rang out, gesturing to the hundreds of people crowded before her in the lavish space. The sound of polite applause filled the room, echoing from the various walls to sound almost like the rumbling of thunder. I glanced outwards into the crowd of people, feeling my apprehension twisting my insides into knots, when my eyes landed upon Esme's warm, comforting gaze, resting upon me from within the crowd. I could nearly feel the warm embrace that she would give me at that moment, and I allowed the comfort of that imagined embrace to spread its pacifying warmth throughout my body, calming me ever so slightly. Carlisle stood beside her, shooting me his own supportive glance, and behind them I could see Jasper glaring downward at the tablet in his hands with uninhibited intensity. I quickly pushed the thoughts of what dangers he might be seeing from my mind, shaking my head ever so slightly as I glanced back upwards at Angela.

"As is tradition, though I would argue that perhaps it's an outdated one, we shall begin with the men," Angela said, and I couldn't help myself but to chuckle at her obvious improvisation. The first two men that she called I had never seen before as they walked proudly across the grand open space of the stage, but as Angela called for a _Justin Mason_ I could not help myself but to gasp as the applause erupted about the room, as Justin, who had worked with Angela on my interview, began to stride his way across the stage, dressed in a magnificent blue suit. I had to admit, he looked incredibly handsome as he made his way to the center of the stage, and I could not help but smile upwards at him. I glanced outwards into the audience, and my gaze almost immediately landed upon Nick, who was cheering loudly with the applauding crowd, beaming upwards at the man that he loved with undeniable enamorment. I felt my smile widen as a familiar warmth crept its way through my heart. We were kindred spirits, Nick and I.

After Justin had taken his place as the third man upon the stage, I immediately recognized Aaron Coin, the fourth contestant for the title, as he strode across the stage. His name being called was immediately met by a roar of cheering from the crowd. He was immensely popular due to being the title winning quarterback of the Lakefront University football team. As I well remembered from my encounter with him, he was large, muscular, and rugged, with a handsome face and a luminous smile. It was easy to see why he was so well liked by the student body. As the crowd began to quiet, I once again heard Angela's voice ring about the room.

"… And last, but not least, your fifth and final contestant for the title of Mister Lakefront, is a man that has captivated the attention of many in his time at Lakefront University: Mister Edward Cullen," Angela said with a warm smile. The world about me froze entirely, as he stepped into the spotlight. There was no comparison for his perfection, for the gleam of his magnificent smile, for his flawless skin and athletic complexion. Though I knew all of the men upon the stage to be incredibly attractive, none of them was capable of holding a candle to Edward, and the hall was sudden filled with an incredible roar of noise as the crowd welcomed him to the stage. He waved outwards at the student body, and the sound of screaming filled the air of the room as they cheered for him. His gaze landed upon me for the briefest of moments, as he winked down at me from the stage, sending my heart galloping, as it still felt surreal to me that a man of such pulchritude could possibly belong to me. Edward took his place beside Aaron as the massive amounts of cheering subsided.

"And the winner, by popular vote, and your Mister Lakefront University, is none other than…" Angela announced to the crowd, her finger tearing at a golden envelope, and slipping a small, white rectangle of paper from within.

"Aaron Coin," she announced, and the room filled with a calamity of noise that was nearly deafening, for it had such intensity. I could not help myself but to feel deflated, for I felt as though I had failed Edward in my attempt to show the world the incredible man that he truly was. I had not done enough. I glanced upwards at Edward with as apologetic of an expression as I was able to muster, but he did not seemed disheartened in the slightest. Instead, he was embracing Aaron with all of his might. It was only then that I remembered Edward's friendship with Aaron, for Aaron played football under the supervision of Emmett. Of course Edward would be happy for his friend, for I knew that Edward did not truly care about the title anyways. I relaxed ever so slightly, before the next announcement that Angela made suddenly caused my entire body to become as rigid as though I had been turned to stone.

"Now, I present your contestant's for this year's Miss Lakefront University," Angela continued warmly as the men made their way down the stairs towards us. All of them wished us good luck, as we offered Aaron congratulations on his achievement. Edward winked at me as I began to step forward toward the stairs, his lips puckering as he blew a kiss across the distance between us, causing my already accelerated heart rate to pound even more vigorously within my chest.

"I present, your first contestant: Amanda Sartay, the captain of the Lakefront University cheerleading squad," Angela announced as the girl with the blonde curls made her way across the stage. I felt as though my legs had suddenly turned to viscous gelatin as the sound of the applause made its way to my ears.

"Your second contestant this year: Rachel Bunch, two time winner of the collegiate mock trial competition here at Lakefront University" Angela announced, as the strawberry blonde also made her way onto the stage. I inhaled deeply, attempting to dispel the ironclad grip of my own terror that had tightened its way about me.

"Up third this year: Giselle Henderson, our three time volleyball champion," Angela announced, as the dark skinned girl with the luscious onyx hair strode upwards across the stage. Alice glanced downwards at me from her place upon the stair just above me, a brilliant, encouraging smile covering her features.

"You can do this Bella. Trust me," she said, placing her arm delicately upon my shoulder. I knew that I had no other option than to trust her, as it was far too late for me to attempt to flee.

"Up fourth this year, one of the most influential personalities to ever grace our campus: Alice Cullen!" Angela announced to the crowd as Alice stepped forth onto the stage, waving at all of the guests that she had invited to the splendor of her own home, at the event for which she had been entirely responsible. The roar of applause and cheering that filled the space seemed to attack me with intensity from every side as Alice made her way to her place upon the stage, and I felt my stomach begin to perform acrobatic maneuvers within me as the moment that I had been most dreading finally arrived.

"Last, but certainly not least, our final contestant is someone whom I am glad to call a close personal friend. I present, our only freshman of the night: Bella Swan!" Angela said, gesturing towards me, smiling with incredible warmth as she gazed at me. I felt as though I were going vomit directly upon the black surface of the stage. At the mention of my name, the room erupted with thunder at the sound of the crowd before me, and I could feel the very stage beneath my feet vibrate with its deafening intensity as I stepped onto it. I turned to face them reluctantly, lest they be able to see my trepidation. The spot light shone into my eyes, blinding me, and I immediately felt my foot catch on an uneven area on the stage surface, causing me to tumble forward ever so slightly before I could right myself. I paused momentarily, taking a moment to collect myself, inhaling deeply before I again glanced outward. It took me almost no time at all to find Edward within the massive crowd of people, positively beaming at me with pride, as he gestured about himself at the crowd, the crowd that was cheering for me. I waved ever so slightly at them as they cheered, before making my way as quickly and cautiously as I could across the stage to stand beside Alice, concentrating upon my breathing so as to prevent myself from passing out, as my heart continued to pound away against my ribcage. As soon as I took my place, Angela's hand reached for the golden envelope upon the podium at which she stood, and I felt proud for having survived my moment in the limelight. I would cheerfully celebrate with Alice as she accepted her award as the rightful queen of this campus, a title that nobody else could ever possibly deserve.

"This year, your Miss Lakefront University is none other than…" Angela began, tearing open the envelope neatly with her finger, and removing the small rectangle of folded paper from within, opening it slowly. Angela's hands suddenly began to shake as she read the small black letters upon the paper.

"… Bella Swan," she said, her voice shaking with joy into the microphone. The deafening roar that erupted from the room almost did not register with me as I glanced upwards at Angela with questions in my eyes. I had been almost certain that she had just read _my_ name as opposed to Alice's. Angela's mouth was entirely agape as she smiled at me brilliantly.

"Me," I whispered in her direction, pointing at myself with my hand, though I knew that she could in no way hear me over the eruption of cheers that currently filled the room. Angela nodded back at me as Alice jumped up and down in place, screaming with excitement as she wrapped her arms forcefully about me. I could see over her shoulder, despite my confusion, the appalled expressions of the other three women on stage, all of whom seemed to be entirely stunned. Angela had called my name. I had won. I was Miss Lakefront University. As Alice's arms released me, I felt a wave of numb disbelief wash over me as I allowed myself for the first time to truly gaze out across the crowd before me. Everywhere that I looked, people were cheering, screaming upwards at me, holding decorated posters and signs upwards for me, and suddenly I felt my heart become warm, as a brilliant, uncontainable smile erupted across my lips. I saw both Nick and Justin in the very front of the crowd, beaming up at me, blowing kisses my way, as Jessica stood next to them, smiling in disbelief. I gazed towards the back of the room to see the proud faces of Carlisle and Esme, respectfully applauding, while Jasper simply gazed at me warmly, looking up ever so slightly from his tablet, and Emmett howled upwards into the air. The only face that I was unable to find in the crowd was the face that mattered most to me in the entire world. He was no longer standing where he had been, and I could not find him anywhere in the crowd. Where had Edward gone? Just as I had begun to feel my panic grip at my chest uncontrollably, a hand grabbed at my waist, spinning me about forcefully as another hand suddenly made its way to the back of my head, and before I was even cognoscente of what was happening, my lips were pressed fully against the perfection of his. The thunderous cheering erupted anew with an even greater vigor as people cheered their praises towards the two of us as our lips met, standing within the spotlight, upon a stage before the entirety of the school. It was a moment that I had craved for so long, to publicly express my love for the most incredible person that I had ever met, and I saw no way that the moment could have been any more flawless. I felt as though I could truly soar upon the wings of the clouds. Nothing could ever touch me or Edward again. We were truly invincible.

"Ahem," I heard Alice's musical voice say, projected throughout the room by the enormous speakers which lined the stage. The crowd chuckled with laughter amidst their cheering as Edward pulled himself back from me. I glared at Alice with a brilliant smile, as though I were challenging her to interrupt my moment.

"Trust me, you want to hear this," Alice said, placing her hand wholly over the microphone so as not to amplify her statement about the room. Edward wrapped his arm about the circumference of my waist, pulling me powerfully against his side as Alice turned back to the microphone.

"As all of you know, this marks the last major event of our fall semester here at Lakefront University, a semester that has given us much accomplishment, much to route for, and of course, some hardships along the way. But as _most_ of you know…" she said, giving me a pointed glance, for she knew that I had absolutely no idea where she was headed with her speech.

"… We kick off the frozen winter semester with a bang here at Lakefront University," she proclaimed, to the cheers of the crowd that stood before her.

"Our Winter Chill Out kickoff event will be held on the first Saturday of the January semester, with indoor games, food, and as _most_ of you know…" she continued, shooting me another pointed glance, for I rarely knew anything that Alice was talking about.

"… Our headlining Winter Chill Out concert, held inside the warmth of the Snow Bowl. It is with great pleasure that I am able to announce to you tonight, the headlining performer for this year's Winter Chill Out event," she announced to the crowd, who cheered enthusiastically back at her.

"This year's headlining act – will be none other than the legendary – award winning…" she began, hyping the crowd up energetically before she turned, locking her golden eyes directly upon mine, smiling at me brilliantly as she extended the moment of suspense, before turning once more towards the microphone.

"… _STEPHANIE TAYLOR…"_ she shouted into the microphone. I felt my entire body begin to implode upon itself forcefully as my eyes widened with shock, and a shriek escaped my lips without my permission. The crowd screamed and cheered wildly as two enormous banners dropped from the ceiling, displaying massive pictures of my life long idol upon them, of her red lips, rosy cheeks, and long curling blonde hair. I heard her voice fill the room as the chorus of my favorite song seemed to emanate from the very air itself. I covered my screaming mouth with my hands and felt my body begin to keel forward with excitement as I jumped repeatedly in place, feeling my excitement spread through every inch of my being. I simply could not comprehend the reality of what I was hearing: that in just a few short weeks, I would be seeing my lifetime idol perform live for the very first time. I stood staring wonderstruck at the poster in complete and utter shock, before I turned my head abruptly into the confines of Edward's chest in an attempt to hide the sudden moisture that had sprung directly to my eyes. I wiped my eyes vigorously with my hands before turning my head upwards to beam at Edward with elation. It was upon glancing upwards that I noticed him smirking down at me, obviously pleased with my reaction.

"You knew!" I said with a playfully accusatory tone, jabbing the firmness of his chest with my finger.

"Of course I did," he said, laughing down at me playfully, a glorious smile erupting across his face as he wrapped his arms about me. I felt a hand rest gently upon my shoulder and turned to see Alice positively beaming at me, and instantaneously knew that for this, I would never be able to repay her.

"Alice, I don't know what you did to make this happen, but I am eternally grateful and forever in your debt," I said, turning in Edward's arms to throw my own arm about her shoulders. She shrugged ever so slightly beneath my embrace.

"Don't thank me. I didn't do this," she said nonchalantly, nodding upwards at Edward. I turned about to face him, my mouth entirely agape.

"You – _you_ did this?" I stammered out, smiling upwards at him with adoration.

"Did I exclusively bring this opportunity to you? No. But I suppose I must admit that I had a rather heavy hand in bringing it to fruition," he said with a playful smirk. I could not respond to him, for I was entirely unable to speak, but instead, threw myself fully upwards upon him, pressing my lips to his vigorously as he caught me, swinging me about him in a circle as our lips moved in unison. I would never be able to repay him for his kindness, and I would never deserve him. At long last he set me down upon his feet, and I felt content to stand upon his shoes allowing him to embrace me for as long as I was able to before the bubbling pot of my own curiosity simply could not be contained any longer.

"Alice you have to tell me…" I began to ask, turning about to face her, when I noticed that she was no longer looking in my direction, but rather, was staring with wide eyed alarm across the room at Jasper, who held his phone to his ear, talking into the handset vigorously as he stared back at her with unrelenting intensity. I felt the claws of dread begin to sink their grip immovably into my chest as I absorbed the ominous look that the couple was sharing. I glanced upwards at Edward only to find him watching them exactly as I did, observing their silent exchange, trepidation beginning to ever so subtly sneak its way across his well-practiced neutral expression. I turned my gaze back downwards towards Alice, as I felt Edward's arm tighten about my waist ever so slightly. She stood frozen in place, as perfectly immobile as if she were made of stone.

"Alice – what's wrong?" I asked softly, but she did not respond. Without any warning, she sprung lithely into motion, darting across the stage, down the stairs and promptly disappeared into the crowd of people whose dancing forms filled the room. My eyes snapped upwards from where she had just disappeared to discern if Jasper's expression had transformed in any way, but he too had vanished into thin air. I spun about to face Edward, apprehension suddenly filling my body, but his eyes were focused intently on the grand set of double doors that stood open at the back of the room, the doors through which a few of the party guests were beginning to trickle towards the exit, the doors which led back towards the grand foyer of the mansion.

"Edward?" I asked in a whisper, staring upwards at him with sudden foreboding, but his gaze did not leave the back of the room.

"Come with me," he said in practically a whisper, urgency filling his tone, as he took my hand in his and began to pull me forward towards the stairs. I looked out across the grand room towards where the rest of his family had been standing merely moments ago, only to notice that they too had disappeared. He led me down the stairs into the throngs of dancing bodies which filled the crowded ballroom, pulling us forward through impossibly tight spaces, until at long last we reached the arches of the doorway at the rear of the ballroom. He did not stop however, upon exiting the room, but rather, propelled us forward even faster, practically dragging me across the grand foyer, and around the metallic tables that had been set up about the edge of the room, until we were moving rapidly down one of the endless hallways of the Cullen Estate. It took nearly all of my concentration not to trip over my own feet as we barreled forwards ever faster.

"Edward –what's happening?" I asked, attempting not to sound as though I were nearly frantic, as my own dread tore its way violently through me. He did not answer me, but rather rounded the corner of the endless hallway, pulling me through the entryway of the beautiful family room that had reminded me so much of Washington State on my first visit to the Cullen Estate. Every member of the Cullen family was present in the large room, standing about the edges of the space, all staring at Jasper, who stood in the center of the space, with the exception of Alice, who had crossed the room to embrace him. She stared up at him, her eyes filled with fret, as she gazed at the man to whom she had promised herself for the remainder of her life.

"Jazz?" she asked in her light musical voice.

"What did you learn?" Rosalie asked, her gaze restless and edged with concern.

"Jasper what happened?" Esme asked, her concern apparent in the sweetness of her voice. Jasper stared about the room, his eyes lingering upon each of them as he looked over their concerned expressions, his eyes weighted heavily with some unfathomable knowledge, before at long last his gaze landed upon Edward and I, standing in the far corner of the room by the fireplace. Edward nodded ever so slightly at him, his eyebrow raised in a perfect arch across his forehead, and Jasper simply nodded once in return. I did not understand the meaning of the gesture, but I felt as though my entire body were becoming heavier beneath its significance, as my heart beat ferociously in my chest, propelling my stomach further towards my unsteady feet. Jasper at long last glanced away from Edward, towards the center of the room in order to address his entire family at once. When he finally spoke, he did so in a deep and unpropitiously ominous tone.

"We are all in grave danger."


	31. Chapter 31

The stagnant air about the family room seemed to be frozen in tension as the Cullen's exchanged glances, all of which were filled with worry, trepidation, and a certain measure of confusion. It was Esme who at long last spoke, her musical voice echoing cavernously about the room in contrast to the perfect stillness.

"The two that you lost?" She asked, raising an eyebrow in alarm.

"Yes," Jasper replied, nodding at his future mother in law.

"Are they on their way here? Do we need to evacuate all of these people?" Esme asked, placing her hand over her mouth as her eyes darted about the room in horror, before her gaze once again landed upon Jasper, who seemed to be deep in thought.

"I'm not sure," Jasper said, sighing heavily.

"Do you think that they're aware of our location?" Rosalie asked, the tense edge of her high, beautiful voice seeming to hang in the air.

"I can't be certain, but I would believe it far less likely that they have chosen to come to Chicago simply by coincidence," Jasper responded, his voice deep and portentous.

"Do you think it probable that we're already under surveillance?" Carlisle asked with sense of composed urgency.

"I don't know," Jasper admitted, shaking his head despondently at the ground.

"Is there anything you _do_ know?" Edward boomed, his voice elevated and curt. Every member of his family immediately turned their gazes upon him, as though they were appalled by his sudden outburst. He did not seem to notice as he continued to fix his gaze upon Jasper. I gave his hand a subtle squeeze with my own, hoping that he would hedge his intensity, though I well understood the source of his vexation as the unrelenting claws of fear raked through my insides.

"Edward, I don't believe shouting will be beneficial in this situation," Esme said with a measure of admonishment. Edward did not seem to notice as he continued to stare at Jasper, who glared directly back at him with equal intensity.

"Who?" Edward said monosyllabically, his voice flat and harsh. Jasper paused momentarily, inhaling deeply beneath Edward's unrelenting gaze.

"James and Victoria McTavish," Jasper said, his expression focused and intense. At the mention of their names the demeanor of the room seemed to instantaneously shift. Alice's eyes widened in alarm, as she stared suddenly up at Jasper. Emmett reached outwards to grasp Rosalie's hand, and Carlisle's hand moved upwards to cover his mouth as Esme gasped, grasping her husband's shoulder. Edward's stare intensified, his eyes widening ever so slightly and I could feel his entire body become more rigid beneath my touch. I hadn't the slightest idea of who the two people that Jasper had mentioned were, but based upon the reactions of Edward's family, and the icy lining that the air about the room seemed to have taken at the very mention of their names, I knew that nothing good would come of them, and for the first time, I felt the talons of true terror begin to spread their icy grip about my galloping heart.

"Are you sure?" Edward asked, his tone incredibly tense, conveying the incredible strain about the room.

"Unfortunately, about their identities, I am entirely positive. One of my contacts alerted me to their presence just moments ago. It seems that James slipped into the city entirely undetected, but my contact was alerted to their presence when Victoria was spotted arriving on a flight to Midway Airport this evening. According to him, the traffic camera clearly shows James as the driver picking her up from the terminal," Jasper said, his voice low and fast.

"How long has James been here?" Alice asked, her eyes glancing upwards at Jasper with obvious anxiety.

"I'm not entirely certain, but my contacts are working on it as we speak. That's partially the reason I have such little information. It is impossible to determine where they're going, or if they have established any surveillance at this point, seeing as how I don't know how long James has already been in Chicago. I'm working on tracing his movements as we speak, but there simply isn't enough information at present," he said, nodding his head solemnly.

"But the party guests…" Esme began, worry distorting her features, but Jasper met her fretful gaze with a comforting nod.

"They wouldn't be so impetuous as to attack us with so many potential witnesses present. Still, as a precaution, perhaps we should begin to conclude the evening. I'm sure that I don't need to inform any of you of the extent of their abilities," Jasper said, nodding with solemn conviction.

"Actually…" I interjected, my eyes darting about the room, meeting each of their stares, as seven pairs of eyes suddenly locked upon mine.

"Bella my dear, you must be frightened out of your mind. How inconsiderate of us not to explain what's happening to you," Esme said, placing her hand suddenly over her heart as she gazed upon me with warm affection. The others then focused their attention upon me as well, with the exception of Rosalie, who simply rolled her eyes and turned away from me to face the wall.

"These people - James and Victoria - they're dangerous?" I asked, glancing about the room at the faces of those before me, feeling the weighted tension that seemed to flow from each of them. My eyes at long last landed upon Edward's glistening gaze, which bore into me with seriousness.

"Indubitably," Edward responded with a solemn nod.

"And – they're here to – to…" I began, but I found myself entirely unable to choke out the last few words of my sentence as my throat tightened with irresistible force. Edward continued to gaze at me, nodding at me encouragingly with the unrelenting force of his eyes.

"…to _kill_ you," I whispered, unable to generate any volume through the numbness that was spreading through my body. Edward continued to gaze at me, his expression suddenly hardening. He closed his eyes momentarily, inhaling deeply before reopening the blazing gold of them into mine.

"Yes," he said softly. The word pierced the room like a cannonball, striking me square across the chest with the power of its implication, and I felt a forceful tremor work its way through my very being. My heart pounded violently against my ribcage as the reality of our predicament struck me like a bolt of lightning. I turned my body further into his, pulling myself fully into his embrace, holding close to me everything that I held dear, everything that I knew I must preserve, everything that I would give my life to protect.

"Bella," He said in an almost questioning cadence, his voice softly caressing its way about my heart with gentle concern. I inhaled deeply, breathing him in, allowing the musky pine of his scent to roll over me as I attempted to keep my mind from escaping me. I slowly began to release myself from the safety and serenity of his chest, forcing myself to face the horror that lied before us.

"What are we going to do?" I practically whispered, staring upwards at Edward, trying my best to prevent the nearly inconceivable power of my terror from encapsulating me, from rendering me entirely ineffectual in the time that Edward and his family would need me the most.

" _That_ is certainly an excellent question," Edward said, suddenly turning about to face his family.

"We need a plan of action," Edward announced assertively to the room, his gaze shifting immediately towards Carlisle.

"What would be your recommendation?" Carlisle asked of Jasper with a subtle nod.

"Seeing as how we don't yet know their exact whereabouts, or how much information they've gathered, I would recommend not giving them such a large and easy target. If we all remain here this evening, we risk the possibility all of our number being terminated in a single attack. I'd recommend splitting our numbers for the evening, at least until we can garner some additional information," Jasper said, carefully appraising Carlisle's reaction as he spoke.

"Is our cottage registered under an alias?" Edward asked, turning to face Carlisle as well.

"Yes," he replied with a rapid nod.

"In that case, the cottage should work perfectly," Jasper said nodding with conviction.

"I agree. Jasper, take Alice, Edward, and Bella back to the cottage for the evening. I'll have a transport take you back there, as both of your cars are far too conspicuous for this situation. You would be far too easy to follow. I'll send a transport back to you in the morning to return you here. Alice, do you still have your emergency beacon?" Carlisle asked, glancing at his daughter with a soft, yet pragmatic expression.

"Of course," Alice responded, holding her wrist upwards and tapping her watch twice.

"Good. Use it only if it's absolutely necessary," Carlisle said with a nod. Jasper cleared his throat, drawing the attention of his family once more.

"Remember, from this moment on all phone conversations need to be no longer than twenty seconds as a precaution to prevent triangulation, and they are only to be used as a last resort. Otherwise, we are now in a complete communications blackout," Jasper said, glancing about the room until his eyes at long last landed upon me, stern, cold, and oddly, in a very subtle way, compassionate. Jasper comprehended that I did not understand the vast majority of what had been transpiring over the last few moments, but in the depths of his eyes, I could see that despite my lack of completed training and my utter lack of knowledge, he trusted me, and I resolved that I would give him no reason to doubt that decision. I placed my telephone in airplane mode as an additional precaution, to prevent its temptation from calling to me as strongly, and followed Edward as he escorted us from the room.

I fell into line beside him as he joined Alice in bidding farewell to the attendees leaving the gala, a perfectly practiced smile planted flawlessly upon his features. None of the departing guests would have ever been any the wiser that all of our lives were currently in an immeasurable quantity of danger, and as I followed suit, I found my facade of sophistication, and tranquility to be far more easily accessible than it once had been. I supposed I was truly being assimilated into his family. I was beginning to be able to stand alongside the Cullen's, not as a juxtaposition, but rather, as an extension of them, a realization that seemed almost entirely surreal to me. If merely months ago, a stranger had suggested to me that this was who I was destined to become, I would have scoffed at their lunacy, and even in this moment, standing hand in hand with Edward, wishing people a pleasant evening with well-practiced artificial warmth, I was still astonished by the distance I had traveled. Perhaps Alice was correct after all. Perhaps I would be able to be her successor.

It was only moments into our charade of civility that the unmarked black SUV pulled up along the magnificent stone driveway.

"Come with me," Edward said in barely a whisper, placing his hand about my waist as he guided me outwards into the frigid blackness of the night air. Its icy fingers raked over every exposed piece of skin that I presented to it, but I could not bring myself to care, for I was so preoccupied searching the blackness of the night, almost expecting to see two menacing pairs of eyes watching us from the depths of the darkness.

The ride home took nearly double the length of time that it typically did, as Jasper instructed our driver to continuously change directions, taking us down multiple routes that made no sense whatsoever, given our destination.

"It makes us significantly more difficult to track," Jasper had told me from the front seat of the SUV. Though I had no knowledge of how tracking worked as of yet, for that was a task that I would be taught far later in my training, his logic did seem to be rather unassailable. At long last the vehicle pulled us to the front of the cottage, and Jasper quickly hurried us inside, as Edward wrapped his body about me, though whether he was attempting to shield me from the painfully biting cold, or from the threat of imminent attack, I was entirely uncertain.

Upon entering the house, Jasper proceeded immediately to the confines of his and Alice's bedroom, moving with incredible speed about the corner and through the doorway. I found myself glancing at Alice with my eyebrow raised, my questions swimming entirely unconcealed in my eyes.

"He's checking the security system, simply to ensure that nobody has been here. Everything is fine Bella," she said without faltering, a line that would have perfectly convinced any other person in her presence that what she had said was entirely the truth, but I was all too familiar with the subtle nuances of her expressions, and I knew that though she was not in the moment immediately concerned, she was far more worried than she wished to let on.

"Clear," I heard Jasper's echoing voice shout from the bedroom, and I could feel a measured amount of tension dissipate from about the room.

"Does that mean we're safe?" I asked, glancing at Alice and Edward, attempting to hide my overwhelming fears from their eyes.

"Not necessarily," Edward said gazing downwards in my direction, his expression still laced with tension.

"We should get some sleep while we still can," Edward said, turning to face Alice and Jasper.

"You all get some rest. I'll take first watch. I need to make some calls to a few of my contacts anyways," Jasper said, nodding at us with conviction.

"I'll take second shift," Edward said softly, returning Jasper's nod.

"No – you won't. I'll do it," Alice said softly, though there was an edge of determination in her voice.

"Alice…" Edward began, but she quickly interjected.

"Trust me Edward," she said, her eyes darting in my direction so briefly that I wasn't entirely certain that I had even seen it. Edward continued to stare back at her, as though he were internally conflicted, before exhaling heavily.

"Okay. We'll see you in the morning," he said, glancing at Alice and Jasper once more before wrapping his arm about my waist.

"Good night Alice. Jasper," I said, as Edward turned me about, guiding us down the long, dim hallway towards our bedroom. He opened the door before me, guiding me gently into our space, the one place where we had to hide from no one, where there were no pretenses, or rules, or appearances to maintain. We were simply free to be ourselves, and to be with each other. As I stepped forwards into the room, kicking my heels from my feet and into the corner, I noticed his gaze sweeping up my body until it at long last his eyes met mine.

"What?" I asked, perking an eyebrow upwards in perplexity at his peculiar stare.

"You do look positively radiant tonight," he said softly, his gaze holding mine. I typically would have felt the crimson heat overtake my cheeks, but the tension which filled my body and mind was simply far too powerful this evening for me to be able to accept his compliment.

"How can you even think about that at a time like this?" I replied, my voice full of the tension that seemed to be attempting to squeeze me into nothingness, though I was sure that the tightness of the gown about my body was doing nothing to alleviate my situation. I reached up behind me, attempting to grip the zipper of the gown, but as I contorted my frame, attempting to reach far enough up my back to grasp it, I felt the zipper begin to pull itself down the length of the garment, as a hand lightly traced down the exposed skin of my arm.

"Thank you," I said softly, slipping the dress from my body, and grasping it ever so carefully, before walking into the confines of the closet in order to place the dress back in its garment bag.

"You're welcome," He replied, his voice flowing softly behind me, following me through the doorway.

"... And to answer your other query, I don't believe there is ever an inappropriate time to remind you of how enchantingly beautiful you are," he said, the velvet texture of his voice making his words sound as though they were poetry. I shook my head ever so slightly as I finished placing the garment in its container, and threw on an old pair of grey sweatpants, and a plain white t-shirt.

"Even when there are vengeful mercenaries attempting to murder us in cold blood?" I asked him, cocking an eyebrow as I emerged from the closet to gaze upon him. Gone was the sophistication of his tuxedo, replaced instead solely by the light blue fabric of his boxer briefs, which clung tightly to his muscular legs and waist. He spun about from his dresser to meet my gaze.

"I do suppose that's a bit of a buzzkill," he replied, raising his eyebrow as he sighed lightly, before turning about to close the drawer of the dresser. I rolled my eyes ever so slightly, the slightest semblance of a smirk finding its way to my features before the gravity of our predicament once again pulled me downwards.

"Why exactly are they attempting to kill us?" I asked tensely, as I sat down upon the edge of our bed and pulled myself beneath the covers.

"I'm afraid that's a rather lengthy and complicated story," He said, turning to face me once more, his expression solemn.

"Summarize," I prompted him. He inhaled deeply, causing the musculature of his chest to expand, before he exhaled heavily as he crossed the room, sitting himself beside me upon the bed, and sliding his legs beneath the blankets beside me. He placed his arm across my shoulder, pulling me against his side, and I turned myself further into the comforting warmth of his body, allowing his earthen scent to wash over me like a wave of tranquility. I felt his hand run down the length of my hair aimlessly, and his eyes betrayed that he was deep in thought as I placed my hand upon the firmness of his chest, tracing the fine hair between his pectorals with my fingers simply out of habit. He closed his eyes momentarily, humming ever so lightly to himself as my fingers moved, before he sighed once more, opening his eyes into mine with significant weight.

"You have to understand Bella, in the world my family comes from, everyone has a long history, and a long memory as well. The McTavish's are no exception. They used to run one of the largest arms dealing operations in the world. They operated a large portion of the black markets, and supplied weapons for entire insurgency movements in decades past..." he began, but I was unable to stop my words as they erupted from my lips.

"Used to?" I asked, perking an eyebrow upwards at him, as he nodded his head in my direction, ensnaring me in his powerful gaze.

"George McTavish – he was the mastermind of the operation that was responsible for such a terrible number of deaths around the world. Carlisle provided the CIA with information – information that led them directly to old man McTavish's front door. The CIA, along with several other agencies, coordinated an assault on the McTavish's headquarters at the time, somewhere in the Carpathian Mountains, in Poland. George – he didn't survive," Edward said, glancing downward at the sheets that were covering us, as though he were deeply in thought.

"So – are James and Victoria related to this somehow?" I prompted him, feeling my heart begin to accelerate within my chest as I began to truly comprehend the darkness and the sorrow of Edward's world.

"James is George's only surviving son," Edward said, his voice grave, as the pieces suddenly fell into place within my mind.

"If your entire family had been murdered before your eyes, wouldn't you want the one that you deemed responsible to pay the price – wouldn't you want their blood on your hands?" Edward asked, his voice tight, wavering ever so slightly as he gazed back up at me with peculiar intensity, as though the force of his stare was tightening itself about my windpipe.

"How dangerous is he – exactly?" I asked him through the tightness of my throat, though I was entirely unsure of whether or not I actually wanted to know the answer.

"They don't come any more lethal than James. He's one of the most dangerous men in the world. He's spent his entirely life in combat," Edward said, running his hands through my hair, despite the incredible weight of his gaze, as though he were in some way attempting to soften a blow that could not be dampened.

"But – So have you," I said, vocalizing my hope, my tenuous optimism.

"No," Edward corrected me quickly.

"I've spent my entire life _learning_ about battlefield tactics, _simulating_ combat, _practicing_ self-defense. I've had very few chances to actually utilize my skills, very few opportunities for real world application. No amount of theory, or simulation, or practice could possibly compare to the unfathomable amount of experience that James likely has," Edward finished, backing my increasingly frantic mind further into a corner. I grasped at the last sliver of hope that I contained in my body.

"In that case, what does Victoria have to do with any of this?" I asked him, my heart beginning to accelerate rapidly within my chest.

"James has been her husband for several years now. She'll follow him until the end," Edward said, his voice sounding nearly as tense as mine.

"So she's like me then? He protects her?" I asked, hoping that Edward would at long last present me with odds that were in our favor, that she was as unknowledgeable and frail as I was.

"No…" He replied despondently.

"She comes from the same background as Rosalie, working in agencies so classified that many people are not even aware of their existence. She is every bit as lethal as James, and perhaps even more dangerous. The two of them together – they're nearly unstoppable," he responded, his eyes piercing my very heart with horror. I could feel a prickling numbness begin to crawl its way down the length of my body as my heart attempted to burst through my very chest. I gasped frantically for air, as I could not seem to fill my lungs, almost as though the powerful grip about my chest were forcing the air from my body before it ever had a chance to fill me.

"Bella?" He asked urgently, his eyes widening in alarm as I grasped at his body, pulling myself more tightly against him, feeling the warmth of his skin burning against mine as I attempted to chase the horrifying images that began to swirl about me from my mind, batting against them with all of my strength as I gasped for air. But I was unable to banish the images from my mind. I watched with horror as the two darkened figures stood before us, laughing menacingly in our direction as I clung to him with all of my might. They laughed malignantly at me, and as I watched their silhouettes in horror, I saw his family members disappear from before them one by one, as they snapped their fingers, instantly casting them to the winds. I reached forwards towards him in the darkness, screaming in horrified agony as he stepped towards the silhouettes, and with a single blow, they effortlessly extinguished him, tossing him aside into the abyss, before I felt myself fade away before them without any chance for resistance.

"Bella – please, you have to calm yourself. You're going to hyperventilate," he said, his eyes gazing into mine widely as I pulled myself out of the black abyss of my own horrified thoughts.

"You don't need to be afraid," He said softly, his voice smooth and tranquil like a warm summer's breeze, and I felt myself begin to breathe more deeply beneath its enticement.

"I won't let anything happen to you Bella – I promise," He said, rolling his body towards me, pulling me into the confines of his chest, filling my head with the magnificent music of his heartbeat, and at long last I felt my breathing begin to slow, and my galloping heart begin to gradually calm. I could smell the pine swirling about me, enticing me forward into the perfect safety of his embrace, and suddenly my fears, while well founded, seemed far less blown out of proportion. His family was incredibly strong, Edward was incredibly strong, and I could be strong too. I could not allow James and Victoria to win the fight before it had even begun. But I also could not allow Edward to think so heavily about my well-being, while being neglectful of his own.

"It's not only me that I'm worried about," I said breathlessly, still calming myself from the brink of destruction. He pulled himself away from me just far enough so as to pierce me once more with the power of his gaze.

"The others are all far more capable of defending themselves than you imagine them to be," he said, the smallest semblance of a smirk pulling itself subtly to his lips.

"And what about you?" I asked him, staring upwards at him as he suddenly chuckled to himself.

"I'll be fine Bella," he said, smiling downwards at me, his expression suddenly lighter, and significantly more carefree. I pulled myself forward into his chest once more, resting my lips gently against the burning warmth of his skin, pressing them against his chest, directly over his heart.

"You promise?" I asked softly, not glancing upwards at him, but feeling the perfect warmth of him beneath my lips, as I felt the beating of his heart transfer into my skin.

"You should get some rest my love," He practically whispered, running his hand downwards through my hair, and pulling my body ever so slightly closer to his.

"Edward," I nearly whispered, as my lids began to become heavier.

"Yes my dear?" he whispered.

"I love you," I said, allowing the words to flow directly into his heart. I looked upwards to see him smiling ever so softly downwards at me, before I allowed my heavy eyes to fall closed.

"And I, you my love – forever and always," He replied, his voice as soft and weightless as the glossy lining of a dream.


	32. Chapter 32

Though I could not be certain, it must have been hours later when the mysterious noise first reached my ears. My eyes snapped open sharply, darting about the darkened room in a daze. I did not even recall drifting away into unconsciousness in the first place, but upon a cursory glance, all seemed to be as it should. The alarm clock upon the nightstand cast a faint green glow across the sheets, and I felt the warm skin of Edward's arm wrapped securely about my back. As had become the norm, my head rested against the perfectly smooth skin of his chest, the magnificent song of his beating heart filling my head, lulling my thoughts aside and pushing me back towards sleep. I was on the verge of regaining unconsciousness once more beneath its power, when I again heard the sound, a grating scrape, like twisting metal, which caused my very skin to crawl. Reluctantly, I removed my cheek from Edward's chest, turning my head carefully about, attempting not to make any unnecessary movements so as not to awaken Edward from his slumber. I squinted about the darkened room, which was only faintly illuminated by the muted light striking the window shade from the street outside. I did not notice anything out of the ordinary through the haze which covered my eyes, so I carefully moved my hand upwards to rub them clear of sleep so that I could better absorb my surroundings. I reopened my eyes once more into the muted light, searching the room with increased clarity, when something unusual attracted my attention. The light suddenly grew substantially dimmer as a distinctive shadow passed slowly over the window shade: the unmistakable silhouette of a human being. I lurched backwards into the solid mass of Edward, gasping loudly in horrified astonishment, terror flooding through my body like the unstoppable power of a massive wave breaking upon the shore.

"Edward," I whispered, my tone filled with urgency as I rolled over towards him, grasping my hands about his arms and making my best attempt to wake him, being far less gentle with him than I should have in my state of alarm. My thoughts raced ahead of me rapidly, despite my most powerful attempts to retain my own sense of rationality in the face of whatever it was that lie on the other side of the window. The arm that had been securely fastened about my waist moved upwards, as Edward stretched his arms outwards above his head, the powerful mass of his musculature moving and shifting beneath me.

"What is it?" he asked me, his voice groggy, coated with sleep.

"Edward I think there's somebody outside," I said in a frantic whisper, my alarm readily apparent in my voice. Edward moved his arm back downwards to ensnare my waist once again in the power and safety of his embrace.

"It's fine Bella, you're entirely safe," he said lethargically, seeming to be only partially conscious as he rolled his face once again into the pillow.

"Edward," I hissed, practically pleading him into consciousness. The sharp, grating sound once again filled the stillness of the room about us, and I felt the hair upon my arm raise in discomfort at its ominous ramifications. Edward's eyes snapped open suddenly, his body bolting upright in the bed as he glanced about the bedroom, instantaneously alert.

"There's someone outside?" he asked, his eyes suddenly meeting mine with full awareness, their golden depths twinkling even in the muted light. I nodded at him vigorously, and I could practically see his thoughts turning over within his mind, determining which course of action would be best in our current predicament. He suddenly lunged from the bed, knocking the alarm clock from the night stand in his haste, and mashed the button that was concealed beneath it. I could hear the artwork upon the wall unlock with a click.

"Bella get in the closet," he said, his voice ringing with an air of authority. I stared at him in wide eyed consternation, feeling the icy veins of panic seeping through my body as he swung the painting rapidly from the wall, dialing a code into the keypad with his nimble fingers.

"Wait – what?" I asked, my eyebrow raised above me. I heard the safe door unlatch with a mechanical click, and I could hear Edward's hands rummaging about within the safe.

"Get in the closet," he repeated peremptorily, his voice ringing about the confines of the bedroom, as he turned to face me in the shadowy light. I immediately felt my heart begin to pound within my chest as my stomach dropped to my feet, for in his hands, I could see the distinct glinting metal of a firearm. The sight of the handgun instantly sent my mind reeling, and the panic that I was attempting to halt in its tracks began to spill over the dam that I had erected to impede its progress.

"Edward what are you doing?" I asked him, my voice lined with the slightest edge of my oncoming hysteria.

"Bella, please. You'll be safer this way. Just get in the closet," he reiterated assertively.

" _No_ ," I practically shouted, throwing myself from the bed to stand before him, my wall of resistance finally collapsing beneath the nearly suffocating force of my own terror. I threw my arms hastily about his bare torso, crushing myself to his body with as much force as I could muster.

"I want to come with you," I said, knowing that it was not so much a want, as it was a need. Being left in solitude within the confines of the darkened space, being forced to hide away until the danger had passed, would do nothing but allow my terror to consume me, while at the very least, remaining in his presence would assist me in containing the nearly irrepressible dread that was welling within me. To not be present, to be unable to protect him as he confronted whatever danger was threatening our lives, it was unthinkable.

"Bella – please," he implored me, unleashing the full power of his incredible gaze upon me, but my fear was far more overwhelmingly powerful than his pleading, and so I shook my head back and forth frantically.

"No," I whispered, clinging to him tenaciously, paralyzed entirely in place. I could not allow him from my sight.

"Damnit Bella," he said with a heavy sigh, shaking his head ever so slightly, closing his eyes momentarily in obvious vexation.

"Fine," he said after a moment, his voice laced with heavy reluctance.

"Just – stay behind me, try to make as little noise as you can, and if I tell you to run – _please –_ just this one time – would you mind complying with my instructions," he said, his eyes locked with mine, beseeching me with his expression.

"Ok," I whispered softly, as he pulled me further into the confines of his bare chest for ever so brief a moment, before taking a step past me, lifting the barrel of the gun before him as he opened the door to our bedroom, proceeding into the inky black abyss of the hallway. The darkness was entirely pervasive, encroaching so powerfully about me that I was utterly unable to make out Edward's form merely inches before me in the blackness. My heart pounded violently against my ribcage as my mind swirled restlessly about, unable to absorb the gravity of the situation, to realize that the man that I loved was currently before me, armed with a deadly weapon, guiding it through the rooms and spaces of his own home entirely out of necessity. It seemed entirely unfathomable to me that I was not actually dreaming at this moment, though if it were a dream, it was certainly a nightmare, a nightmare in which an unknown entity was attempting to end my very life. I made a futile attempt to calm my rapid breathing as I followed Edward down the narrow hallway, his weapon extended with expert precision before him while his spare hand rested lightly upon the small of my back, holding my body protectively against his own. I wished that I knew a way to shield him, to protect his valiant form from the inky darkness before us.

As we emerged from the hallway, I reached my hand blindly sideways in the darkness until I managed to find one of the many prodding instruments that were displayed prominently beside the fireplace, so as to wield a weapon of my own, wrapping my fingers firmly its frigid metal form. Edward proceeded carefully into the inky blackness of the room, his eyes darting about vigilantly, and I found myself attempting to search for any discrepancy in the space about me, though the pounding of my own heart within my ears made focusing incredibly difficult, as I couldn't help but imagine that behind every piece of furniture, and around every bend, my death certainly awaited me. Edward's head whipped about in the same moment mine did, as the low sound of creaking wood reached our ears from the opposite end of the room. I peered into the darkness, but I could discern nothing through the ebony blackness of the night and I wrapped my spare arm about Edward's torso, as though I could somehow shield him from whatever invisible threat awaited us in the darkness.

"Jasper – is that you?" Edward asked, his voice hushed, yet tight.

"Affirmative," Jasper replied in a faint whisper, and I could feel Edward's body slacken ever so slightly beneath my grip as he exhaled into the night.

"I'm here too," I heard Alice's voice say, rippling through the night air like the song of a wind chime.

"I have Bella here as well," Edward whispered, I supposed on the off chance that either of them mistook me for an attacker in the darkness before us, and thought it wise to place a well-trained bullet into my flesh.

"I thought I heard movement outside, but it seems that it was simply the two of you," Jasper admitted slowly in the darkness.

"No," Edward contradicted.

"We heard it as well. There was something outside the window," Edward said, his voice suddenly filled with a measure of calm in the darkness.

"I saw the shadow," I said gently into the night, not having meant to speak my thought aloud.

"You what?" Edward asked, his voice suddenly tense once again as I felt his body spin slightly beneath my grip to stare down at me, though I could barely discern the twinkling of his eyes in the darkness.

"I – I saw someone's shadow as they passed in front of the window," I said softly, my insides entirely paralyzed with distress. I felt Edward grow rigid beneath me, as his posture stiffened beneath the weight of my words.

"Check the security system," Edward commanded stiffly, and I could barely make out the blackened silhouette which drifted noiselessly across the room, until suddenly a brilliant light erupted from the computer monitor on the far side of the living space, clearly illuminating Alice, who sat in the chair before it, as well as Jasper, who stood across the room from Edward and myself in the entryway to his and Alice's bedroom. Alice's fingers moved rapidly across the keys of the keyboard, as a number of windows flashed across the large screen in rapid succession.

"None of the sensors have been triggered. Nobody has gone in or out of any of the doors or windows since we have arrived home," Alice declared, spinning about in her chair to face us.

"What about the security cameras?" Jasper asked her intently.

"Security cameras?" I asked, without having given myself express permission to do so.

"Yes…" Jasper began, raising an eyebrow pointedly at me.

"We felt it was a necessary precaution," Edward said, glancing over his shoulder at me.

"Give me a moment," Alice said, her fingers once again flying across the keys of the keyboard.

"Check the ones outside of my bedroom window in particular," Edward added, glancing back over towards Alice. She moved her fingers nimbly across the keyboard, causing various camera feeds to appear before her upon the monitor.

"I don't see anything on the security camera footage at all," she said, her voice betraying her frustration as she continued to scroll through an increasing number of video streams.

"How is that possible?" Edward asked, his eyebrow shooting upwards in perplexity as he began to stride across the room towards Alice and the glare of the computer. I followed closely behind him until I was staring directly over Alice's shoulder, watching a dozen different cameras looping through the footage that they had shot over the last several minutes. Edward stared at the monitor with scrutinous intensity, searching for anything that may have previously escaped the watchful eyes of his sister. I watched as his brows furled together with discontentment as he verified that she was indeed correct. There was absolutely nothing discernable whatsoever on the video monitors, though I continued to scan over each of them, watching their loops in their entirety for anything out of place.

"Is it possible that Bella was mistaken?" Jasper asked, in a tone that sounded almost to question my rationality in the current situation.

"I know what I saw," I said with conviction, entirely certain of the existence of the shadow that had crossed the window.

"Edward?" Jasper said, I assumed to ask whether or not Edward believed me to be a sound and reliable resource. I chose to ignore Jasper's discrediting inquiries, as I knew it was simply ingrained in his methodical thinking to question everything that was placed before him, and instead focused upon watching the last few loops of the monitors before me. It was then that I noticed something peculiar about the camera that was facing towards the wall of the house that contained Edward's window.

"I believe she saw what she says she did," Edward told Jasper with conviction, his voice resonating with trust, with his confidence in me. In any other circumstance it likely would have filled my heart with an immense measure of joy, but I was far too focused upon the monitor to notice anything that was transpiring around me. It struck me in that moment what had felt so unsettling to me about the feed from camera nine. In every other camera about the exterior of the house, the wall of the house, and all the possible entryways upon it were visible, while in the frame of camera nine there was a large blind spot directly adjacent to Edward's bedroom window.

"Why would you set the camera at this angle?" I asked aloud, vocalizing my thoughts.

"What do you mean?" Jasper asked me, as I saw out of my periphery that he had stepped closer to the monitor.

"Well, every other camera overlaps with the one before it, but there's an enormous blind spot between cameras eight and nine," I said, staring at the monitor intensely.

"Why would you place it like that when the others were so deliberately thorough?" I asked, spinning about to face the three of them. Edward's face was contorted in an expression of utter bewilderment.

"I didn't," he whispered, his eyes glaring at the monitor before him pensively, and I could practically see his mind analyzing the puzzle before him.

"Alice, could you expand the loop on camera nine to be an hour instead of ten minutes, and then condense the duration?" Edward said, nodding downward at his younger sister. She nodded with brevity, as her fingers began to fly across the keyboard, opening several windows before the feed of camera nine filled the entirety of the screen with a final dramatic click of her fingers. The video feed was sped up dramatically, and I was entirely uncertain of what we were looking for. As the seconds passed by, Edward stared at the monitor with singular focus, watching carefully for whatever suspicion it was that had been brought to the forefront of his mind.

"There!" he suddenly shouted, and Alice slapped her fingers down upon the space bar causing the screen to freeze before us.

"I don't see anything Edward," Alice said, gazing at the monitor intensely.

"Play the last thirty seconds over again at normal speed," Edward instructed her, and with a few strokes of the keys, the video again began to play. Upon the screen, as plainly as day before us, I watched the out of focus outline of a hand, covered in a black leather glove, grasp the exterior of the camera lens and jostle it so that it turned a significant distance away from its previous position, creating a blind spot directly adjacent to Edward's window. I felt my mouth fall open agape, and my stomach began to sink downward as though it were made entirely of lead. Edward looked extremely rigid as he stared downwards at the monitor, a disconcerted expression distorting his features.

"Can you see them on camera eight?" he asked softly, his voice entirely consumed by raw anxiety. Alice tapped a single key, displaying camera eight. It was then that I noticed, just barely visible in the top right corner of the video feed, a hand reaching downwards from the lip of the roof to grasp at the outside of the camera, which was just outside of the frame.

"The roof?" Alice asked, her eyes widened with alarm, as she span about to face us.

"How could they have gotten to the roof without being seen in one of the other cameras?" Jasper asked, staring at the monitor in utter disbelief.

"They could have climbed across on the telephone wires," Edward suggested, staring vacantly down at the monitors before us.

"That would explain the sound we heard," I said, glancing about apprehensively at the highly anxious faces before me, as I recalled the grating, metallic noise that had pulled me from my slumber.

"If that's the case we can't risk any additional sleep tonight. We need to keep our eyes sharp and our wits about us until the sun rises – lest we receive a rather nasty awakening," Jasper said, nodding about the room at the three of us. Alice and Edward nodded tensely in agreeance with Jasper, and I gripped my hands ever so slightly tighter about Edward's bicep. No sooner had I done so than Edward suddenly pulled his arm from my grasp, and strode briskly across the living room, disappearing down the dark hallway which led towards our bedroom.

"Edward?" I called after him in shock, as the blackness of the night enveloped his form. I received no response from the depths of the shadows, causing my terror to begin tightening its stranglehold about my chest, as though it were attempting to squeeze the very air from my lungs. I turned to glance at Jasper and Alice hoping to find some sort of reassurance, but they seemed to be equally as perplexed by his sudden departure as I was. Nearly as quickly as he had departed, he reappeared from the darkness, to my immediate relief, towing behind him the large flowing blanket beneath which he and I typically slept. He took a seat upon the couch, facing the windows out into the night, and held the blanket open for me, a clear invitation for me to join him. I sat beside him, allowing him to place his arm about me, draping my body in the blanket as I curled up beside him, before he cradled me into the secure, invulnerability of his chest. I could feel the fine dusting of his hair against my cheek, and the warmth of his skin seemed to burn against the cold numbness of my face. Alice and Jasper crossed the room as well, curling up upon the love seat opposite us, keeping their watchful eyes upon the side door to the house.

"Everything is going to be fine Bella. We'll be back at the mansion in a few hours," Edward whispered faintly to me. I nodded against the firmness of him, inhaling and exhaling purposefully in an attempt to calm my pounding heart, instead attempting to focus upon the mesmerizing rhythm of his. I wrapped my arms fully about his powerful back, pulling myself more firmly against him, and sighed against the warmth of his skin as he rested his lips in my hair. I could not release him, lest I allow myself to completely collapse, for no matter how comfortable I managed to make myself, I was entirely unable to relax, to push the suffocating tension from my body, as I was entirely too aware of the handgun that he had deliberately placed upon the end table beside him. As long as it rested there so openly, I knew that we were not truly safe.

I was unsure of how long we had remained that way, sitting wordlessly about the living room, allowing the anxiety of the night to weigh down upon us as though it were a pile of bricks, but I was certain that it had to have been several hours when the sun eventually began to rise over the houses in the east, and the dread and uncertainty of the night seemed to vanish behind us. We took turns showering, staying in pairs as a precaution: Jasper and Alice first, Edward and I immediately after, and as promised, shortly before seven o'clock, an unmarked black SUV arrived to transport us back to the Cullen Estate. The drive took significantly more time than it typically did, just as it had the night before, as we navigated a winding path through the leafless trees, and browned grass of the frozen city before us. There was a light crusting of icy frost across the grass this morning, which glittered magnificently in the brilliant orange rays of the morning sunlight.

At long last we arrived at the Cullen Estate, and the moment we stepped through the door Jasper immediately launched into a detailed explanation of the events which had transpired in the middle of the night. Carlisle seemed particularly disturbed by the events that had occurred at the cottage, immediately insisting that Jasper accompany him to establish communication with as many of his contacts as he possibly could.

"We need to ascertain more information about James and Victoria's whereabouts, and more importantly, we need to determine how they managed to locate you so easily last night," Carlisle had said with an expression of solemn determination. I had absolutely no desire to accompany them in their quest for information. I simply wished to escape our current predicament as quickly as I possibly could, for my apprehension had reached an all-time high the previous evening, and I felt precariously close to collapsing beneath the gravity of it. It seemed however, that the longer Carlisle and Jasper were absent from the others, the more restless I became, and after having spent an immeasurable amount of time simply pacing back and forth in an empty corridor, watching the stone tiles vanish aimlessly beneath my feet, Edward made the suggestion that we take some time to venture to the shooting range for some additional target practice, a distraction that I welcomed wholeheartedly.

Over the weeks since I had begun my training, I had quickly learned that of all of the activities in which I was being forced to partake, firearm training was by a rather significant margin my favorite. I craved the adrenaline rush that firing the weapon provide me, and felt my own self confidence soar every time I increased my accuracy, or struck a target that had previously eluded me. It was almost as though the activity that I had once so greatly feared, wherein I was handling deadly instrument of demise, had become one of the most therapeutic exercises in which I had the pleasure of participating. Edward consistently showered me with praise when it came to my firearm drills, and told me rather frequently that I was a natural born marksman, a sentiment that Jasper seemed to agree with wholeheartedly. Despite the immense weight of my nerves and trepidations from the previous evening, I still managed to successfully complete all of the drills that Edward had laid before me for the day, and I could not deny the feeling of accomplishment that accompanied my success.

"Before long you'll be outperforming _me_ in competitions," Edward told me with a chuckle upon my successful completion of our final exercise, a thought that I found to be entirely preposterous. Still, I felt that if there was ever to be one skill that I could possibly become as masterful at as Edward, it would be marksmanship. My skills in hand to hand combat on the other hand, had improved very little since I had begun my training. I still found myself being flattened by Edward at least ninety percent of the time, without so much as landing one blow upon his powerful, nimble body. I attempted to allow myself to coast on my feelings of accomplishment from the firing range as we performed our combat exercises, but I inevitably began to feel frustrated, as Edward continued to overpower me time and time again. At long last, Edward seemed to take a measure of pity on me, which I attributed to the stressful nature of the predicament in which we currently found ourselves, and released me from training, allowing us to walk back upwards towards the mansion in order to clean ourselves up.

Upon showering and changing into a more comfortable outfit, I discovered that Carlisle and Jasper had still not returned to the others with any information, and so simply for the sake of distracting myself, I offered my assistance to Esme with cleaning the mansion from the devastation of the gala the previous evening. Edward, of course, volunteered his capable hands as well, though I felt it was far more likely in order to remain by my side than for the reasons he claimed. I couldn't shake the distinct feeling that were it not for my particular disinclination towards it, Edward would likely have accompanied Carlisle and Jasper with whatever tasks they were carrying out at the present time.

I had taken up the task of tidying the grand foyer as the sun began to set upon the mansion, taking my time to carefully retrieve each dazzling gold piece of glitter scattered about the floor in the wake of the gala. It was a difficult task, and extremely time consuming, which made it a perfect distraction from what was taking place about me. As I collected the glitter piece by piece, my mind began to drift aimlessly back to the previous evening, before the world had come crashing down about me; the feeling of being upon the stage before my peers, being truly accepted for the first time in my life, the tremendous warmth that had filled me as Edward had handed me the journal atop the grand staircase, and the incredible sensation of dancing in his arms to the melody that I had inspired. I allowed the warmth of those memories to temporarily push my tension from my body, as I smiled downwards at the floor, allowing my eyes to roam over the dozens of strips of film that had been spread about the polished tile the previous evening. My gaze almost instantaneously gravitated towards Edward's dazzling smile among them, staring at our photo without noticing the passage of time, absorbing the pure merriment that had been captured on the strip of film. For the first time, it almost felt as though I did not look out of place beside his magnificence, though I was entirely uncertain of why it appeared that way. Certainly my significant makeover had assisted me in not seeming so incongruous beside his grandeur, but it was not solely my physical appearance that suddenly looked so natural beside him. It was as though my entire demeanor resonated with him, as though my smile in the photograph was but an extension of his smile, furthering it, brightening it, causing it to carry more weight.

"Bella," Edward said, his voice echoing hesitantly about the foyer, snapping my gaze upwards immediately from the photograph which I held so delicately in my hand. As his gaze landed upon me from the entryway, I noticed a subtle change about his expression, some indistinct nuance that had always eluded me. It was as though the same resonance that I had noted in the photo began to fill my soul from the very depths of his eyes, warming my heart, making me feel lighter. It was in that instant, watching as a subtle smile melted its way across his features, that I suddenly realized that what I was only now observing in this moment, had been before me for a great deal of time; I had simply been too blind to see it. I had spent months unable to wipe the image of him from my mind, to shake the earthen scent of him, the velvet texture of his voice, or the music of his heart from my thoughts. It was as though I had subconsciously placed him upon a pedestal, to be idolized, to be sought after. He was the goal that I had wished to obtain, and yet suddenly, as I watched the ever so slight trace of a smile make its way across his features, his gaze holding mine with an almost radiant warmth, I realized that my perspective had been entirely wrong. I no longer felt that I looked so out of place beside his magnificence, because I had never looked out of place to begin with. I never had been inferior to him as my mind had frequently led me to believe. He was not something to strive for, to obtain, or to covet, but rather, he was the puzzle piece with which I perfectly fit. I was _his_ perfect puzzle piece. I was, in his eyes, exactly the same as he was in mine. We had been mutually drawn towards each other. Of course I did not appear out of place beside him, for he had been made perfectly for me, and I for him. I was his partner, I was his equal, and I knew with certainty that I was exactly where I belonged. I gazed upwards at him, matching his peculiar expression with the subtle glow of my own newfound epiphany. He glanced back at me curiously, the slightest hint of a smirk tugging upwards at the edges of his lips.

"Are you alright?" he asked, suddenly perplexed by my expression. I continued to smile upwards at him.

"I love you," I whispered warmly, my own voice echoing sweetly about the room. Edward's returning smile seemed to glow with as much brilliance as the setting sun.

"Forever and always," he said gently before he paused momentarily, glancing downwards at the tile, as his face became ever so slightly more exigent.

"Jasper and Carlisle have some new information, if you'd like to hear it," he said, raising his eyebrow at me, truly giving me a choice to stay blissfully unaware if I so desired to be. As pleasant as that thought might have been, I was fully aware of its foolishness.

"I'd like to, yes," I responded to him with a brief nod, as he strode across the space of the foyer, and offered his hand to me, which I grasped firmly, allowing him to pull me upright in a single, powerful movement. My hand remained intertwined with his as we made our way down the cavernous hallway before emerging into the grand, circular dining room, where Rosalie, Emmett, Esme, and Alice were all gathered at the table eating a succulent looking meal, while Jasper and Carlisle waited solemnly for Edward and myself along the back wall. Edward nodded to them the moment we entered the room.

"What did you uncover?" Edward asked anxiously, wrapping his arm about my waist firmly.

"Unfortunately not as much as we had hoped to," Carlisle said with a grim expression.

"We did however, uncover a certain amount of confirmation," Jasper said with an encouraging nod. Edward tightened his arm ever so slightly about my waist, as all eyes in the room focused upon Jasper and Carlisle.

"It seems that James and Victoria did indeed pay us a visit last night. This photo was taken by a traffic camera at four forty five this morning, only two blocks away from the cottage," Jasper said, spinning a laminated photo print about towards us. My heart immediately began to rocket within my chest, and I had to suppress the urge to vomit across the floor before me as my entire body went rigidly numb.

"Bella – are you alright?" Edward said, his eyes wide with concern as he began to support my weight with the arm that was wrapped about my waist, for I was suddenly overcome with violent tremors that shook their way throughout the entirety of my body, threatening to knock my very legs out from beneath me. I had never seen the woman before, with her wild, almost feline, red mane of hair that curled and twisted about in every direction, her hard gaze giving her the appearance of someone dangerous, which I knew that she undoubtedly was. No, I was certain that I had never seen her before, but I immediately recognized the dark, scrutinizing pair of eyes in the passenger seat beside her. I did not need to look any closer to imagine the long blonde ponytail that draped down his back, or how icy and calm his menacing voice was.

"It's him," I choked out in barely a whisper, my voice shaking with frailty as my heart pounded almost painfully against my ribcage. Every eye in the room suddenly turned about to face me, and Jasper's eyes bore into mine with exacting scrutiny.

"Who?" Edward said, gazing down upon me with his best attempt at a reassuring face, though I could see the distress hidden just barely beneath the surface.

"He – he was at the school," I stuttered out, leaning all of my weight into Edward as I felt all of the strength flood from my body.

"What?" Edward asked, his eyes widening tremendously in alarm.

"He said he had come to see Ms. Morgan – yesterday – when you came to pick me up for the gala. He was in the waiting room. I went into her office first, but whenI left he was just gone," I said, rambling as rapidly as I could force the words from my lips. Jasper stared at me in wide eyed astonishment, and I could feel the rest of their gazes locked upon me solidly as I made my best attempt not to be sick.

"Are you certain," Jasper asked calmly, but I interrupted him almost immediately.

"Yes. That is one hundred percent the same man," I practically screamed at him, realizing for the first time that I had sat merely feet away from a trained, hostile killer.

"Listen to me very carefully Bella. Can you do that?" Jasper asked, his voice calm and methodical. I nodded at him briefly, making my best attempt not to move my head too quickly, lest I vomit out my numbness across the dining room floor.

"Bella, do you remember him touching you in any way, or perhaps touching your purse?" Jasper asked, staring me down with unrelenting intensity. I thought back to my time in the waiting room, to our conversation, attempting to remember if he had done anything unusual, but nothing came to mind.

"No," I said, staring at Jasper tensely.

"Are you sure that he didn't do anything out of the ordinary at all?" Jasper asked me intensely. I replayed the memory several more times in my mind, attempting to remember any detail which struck me as out of the ordinary, but nothing in particular came to mind, despite the feeling that I was forgetting something important.

"No, nothing at all," I said, staring at Jasper, who seemed entirely perplexed by my answer.

"Perhaps it was merely a coincidence," Esme suggested, glancing about the room when my mind suddenly landed upon the missing piece of information that had been so successfully eluding me.

"Wait," I said in practically a whisper, glancing upwards about the room.

"I left my phone. I left my cell phone in the waiting area by accident when I went into Miss Morgan's office. I had to grab it on the way out, and that was when I realized that he was gone," I said, my eyes darting wildly about the room to absorb the faces before me, landing at long last upon Jasper who was staring at me wildly.

"Give me your phone Bella," He demanded, throwing his hand across the table.

"What – why?" I started to ask but he interrupted me.

"Give it to me!" he demanded, and I immediately retrieved my cell phone from my pocket and thrust it across the room to Jasper, as Edward glanced upwards at him in utter shock. Jasper immediately grasped the phone and placed it in the center of the table, a wild look overcoming his eyes as he grabbed a candlestick from the table behind him, swung it far above his head and drove it downward, thrusting it directly into my phone, sending shards of shattered glass and metal scattering about the room as the others covered their ears. I felt my mouth fall open in shock.

"What the _hell_ Jasper!" I practically screamed at him, my mouth still entirely agape.

"I'll buy you a new one," he said unapologetically, tearing my phone in half with his fingers to expose the complicated wiring of its internal circuitry. There, in the dead center of my phone, was a small, black chip with a blinking red light in the center. Jasper retrieved it from the wreckage of my cell phone and held it up at arm's length for everyone to see.

"What – what is that?" I asked, barely able to choke out my words, my eyes widened in dismay.

"That – is a tracking chip," he said staring at me intently.

"That's how they found us last night. They've been following our location – through you," Jasper said momentously, before placing the chip down upon the surface of the table and smashing it to bits.

"You _idiot!_ " Rosalie suddenly shrieked, glaring at me with such unrestrained hostility as to send a shiver down my spine.

"You led them _straight to us!"_ she screamed venomously across the table at me, standing abruptly from her chair.

"Rose," Edward said, tightening his hand about my waist as I cringed away from her fury.

"You have placed my _entire family_ in unnecessary danger," she continued to scream across the table, hissing at me with detestation. Alice's eyes glanced towards Rosalie with trepidation.

"I suppose the only upside to this tragedy is that they wish to kill you as well," she said, a wicked smile suddenly crossing her incomparably beautiful features.

"It's unfortunate for them that I will be robbing them of that opportunity," she said, her hand suddenly gripping the long glinting blade of the carving knife, pulling it from the kitchen table with blinding speed, as she lunged across the room towards me, the glinting edge of the knife aimed directly at my chest. My eyes widened in terror moments before I was suddenly thrust backwards against the wall with incredible force, knocking the air clear from my lungs, as Edward threw himself before me with blinding speed.

"ROSE," he shouted at the top of his lungs, as he extended his hands before him, preparing to fight off her advances as she attempted to murder me in cold blood.

"Edward!" I screamed outward, wrapping my arms about him, attempting to pull him back from the lethal blade of the carving knife, which rested forcefully upon Edward's chest, directly over his heart.

"Get out of my way Edward," Rosalie screamed at him viciously, but Edward did not so much as budge from in front of me, despite my best efforts to pull him back.

"Rose stop!" Alice shouted about the space, attempting to pull the blade away from Edward's chest, where the glinting metal point pressed visibly inward upon the white fabric of his sweater.

"Rosalie!" Esme cried, attempting to help Alice pull the knife from her grip. Emmett wrapped his arms about Rosalie's midsection, lifting her from the ground, but she aimed a kick at the inside of his legs causing him to immediately release her and stagger back towards the wall. She thrust Alice from her body with a single lithe movement, veering the knife for the briefest moment away from Edward's chest. In a blindingly swift movement, Edward pulled a handgun from the back of his jeans, the existence of which I hadn't even been aware of, and held it outwards before him, aiming it directly at Rosalie. The previously chaotic space became deathly still as Edward and Rosalie stared virulently at one another.

"Woah Ed, are you insane?" Emmett said, raising his hands outwards before him, as though to halt the scene before him.

"What? – Are you going to shoot me Edward?" Rosalie said, her intentionally taunting provocation readily apparent in her voice.

"Only if you force me to," he responded in a gentle whisper, and I could feel his coiled muscles ready to strike at any moment.

"I'm not forcing you to do _anything_ ," she said with a tone of mock innocence. Edward glared at her menacingly.

"If you so much as touch a hair on her head, I will gladly put a bullet in yours," Edward said with a hint of finality.

"Enough" Carlisle's voice boomed outwards across the space.

"Rosalie – drop the knife. Edward – holster your weapon," he commanded, his voice ringing with undeniable authority. Rosalie released the knife from her grip, and it clamored to the ground with a reverberating metallic clang. The moment the knife hit the tile, Esme immediately retrieved it and took it from the room, and Edward holstered his weapon once more in the back of his jeans.

"Instead of foolishness, we need a plan," Carlisle said, gazing about the room, before resting his eyes upon Jasper.

"I have an idea, but I'm entirely unsure if it will work," Jasper admitted, glancing about the room at the unsteady faces before us, though Rosalie still looked significantly more angry than she did anxious. Edward pulled me against his side, gently brushing down the length of my hair with his hands.

"It seems that they have been using Bella's electronics to track us, and there is no telling how many other devices of hers that they have been able to hack into. Therefore, it's rather obvious that we need to get Bella away for the time being, as she seems to be their way in. Bella, I'm going to arrange transportation for you to a safe house in the hills just to the west of Saint Louis. It will be nearly impossible for them to find you there," Jasper said, gazing upon me with intensity.

"I'm going with her," Edward declared with conviction, and it was entirely apparent by his tone that he would never be swayed from that course of action.

"I was afraid you were going to say that," Jasper admitted with a heavy sigh, closing his eyes briefly as he thought through the scenario that he was creating in his mind.

"That should still be acceptable." he said, reopening his eyes to glance about at his family.

"In order to get the two of you out, we are going to need a diversion. Alice, Carlisle and myself, will head south with Bella's tablet, until the two of you are safely at O'Hare. Once you arrive at the airport, it will be nearly impossible for him to track you. Rosalie, Emmett, and Esme, you all will take Bella's laptop and head west towards Naperville. Once Edward and Bella are clear, we will rendezvous at a location that I'll disclose at a later time," he said, gazing about at his family members as he gave them their instructions.

" _I_ won't be participating," Rosalie said coldly, glaring at me with fiery hatred.

"Do you trust Emmett and Esme to fend for themselves then?" Jasper asked, and though his expression did not betray it, I he knew he had found her weakness. Of course she would cooperate when her family was involved. It was irrelevant if her participation was spiteful. She sighed with obnoxious volume, and rolled her eyes at Jasper, submitting to his will.

"We will be using private transportation again this evening, so we cannot allow any communication to occur between us until we are ready to proceed with phase two of the plan. However, in the case of an emergency, I've fashioned each of you an emergency transmitter," he said, holding up Alice's discreet black wristwatch.

"If you activate the transmitter, it will instantly notify all of the other wearers of your location. Seeing as how for phase one of the plan we will never be more than fifteen to twenty minutes away from one another, help will only take that long to arrive. However, it's impertinent to remember only to use the transmitter if James and Victoria have _already_ found you, as it will immediately betray your location to them. It's a distress signal only – use it as such," Jasper said, glancing about the table at his family, his expression solemn with the gravity of our situation.

"Does that sound acceptable to you Carlisle?" Jasper asked his future father in law, glancing in his direction.

"It does," Carlisle said with a nod, his eyes filled with sorrow.

"In that case, do any of you have any additional questions?" Jasper asked, glancing about the room at us. He was met with nothing but noiseless tension. I felt Edward inhale deeply beneath my embrace, and I glanced upwards at his fearless features. He gazed about at his family, his expression hardening, before he at long last spoke in a low, determined voice.

"Let the games begin."


	33. Chapter 33

My fingers aimlessly traced the outside of the sleek watch that now adorned my wrist, feeling the textured plastic surface of the band where it rested against my fair skin. I found it to be rather irritating where it touched me, though I knew I had no privilege to object, for at least I was afforded the luxury of wearing a women's band about my wrist, as opposed to the far thicker, infinitely less comfortable band that Edward had been forced to wear, though it seemed to bother him very little as he stared vacantly out the window into the endless expanse of the night. I approached him with deliberate slowness, glancing upwards at him, taking in his rigid expression. Some unfathomable emotion swirled in the depths of his eyes as he peered vigilantly outwards into the darkness. I was unsure of what to say, or whether to say anything at all, and so I settled for simply staring outwards through the glass beside him. I could see no stars in the night sky, causing the blackness that enveloped the forest to be entirely impenetrable, obscuring the world about us entirely. I felt a small shiver run down my spine at the very thought of what awaited us in the darkness, exhaling outwards into the night beneath the weight of my tension. I felt his gaze land upon me, observing me, noting the anxiety that hung upon me like a weight.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly, his voice exuding tender concern. I inhaled deeply, glancing downwards at the polished texture of the stone floor beneath my tennis shoes. I was entirely unsure of what I wanted to tell him. Did I tell him the truth: that I felt as though at any moment I may implode upon myself? Or would it simply be better to say nothing at all? The only thing that I knew with certainty was that if I were to lie to him, to tell him that everything was alright, he would not believe me even for a moment. I looked up from my feet, gazing outwards once again into the darkness. Swirling flecks of white had begun to interrupt the endless onyx abyss of the night, glittering dazzlingly as they swam through the lighting which adorned the exterior of the mansion.

"It's snowing," I stated simply, casually brushing away his query. I could feel his gaze boring in to me. I didn't even have to face him to know that he had recognized my intentional, diversionary tactic. I found myself wishing that occasionally his intuition could be slightly less astute. His arm made its way gently about my waist, pulling me firmly against his side, and I exhaled deeply, allowing my head to lean sideways against his shoulder as I stared outwards into the night, watching the flurries begin to fall. He sighed beneath me.

"Nothing is going to happen," he whispered softly, placing the perfection of his lips upon the top of my head, their warmth radiating through my being as though they were the antidote to the overwhelming power of my own terror.

"Maybe not to us –," I began, my voice trailing off as the fear once again surged forth from within me, raking its claws slowly through my insides.

"Not to any of us," his lips murmured warmly against me, and I exhaled tensely. It was difficult for me to comprehend how he and his family were able to so quickly cast off the tension that surrounded us the moment our plan had been set into motion, while I managed to feel no relief whatsoever. I felt only overwhelming guilt, for I had been the only one foolish enough for James to manipulate in the first place. I was pulled from the depths of my self-loathing by three blinding pairs of headlights, which penetrated the oppressive veil of the night as they made their way through the forest, until at long last they circled about, coming to a stop beneath the massive stone overhang of the mansion.

"Jasper! They've arrived," Edward said, his voice booming about the grand foyer. My very heart seemed to flip within my chest as I gazed upon the trifecta of black SUVs now parked just on the other side of the glass. It was difficult to believe that we were truly fleeing this magnificent place, that we were being forced to hide ourselves away from the world, lest we wish to depart it prematurely.

I averted my gaze from the window when I heard the reverberating footsteps approaching us from behind as the others joined us, filing wordlessly into the grand foyer. Emmett strode across the room towards the grand doorway of the mansion.

"Looks like we're up first," he said with a callous smile, nodding at Edward excitedly, almost as though he were preparing to head out for a sporting event. In some way, I appreciated his nonchalance. If it was possible for Emmett to be so entirely calm, collected, and even seemingly excited, then perhaps our odds of success were nowhere near as abysmal as I had assumed them to be.

"Give 'em hell," Edward said nodding back at Emmett, who raised his fist forwards towards Edward. Edward met Emmett's fist with his own, before Emmett turned his outstretched fist in my direction. I froze beneath the force of my own hesitation, my eyes darting between Emmett's eager expression, and his outstretched fist, before I reluctantly extended my arm to tap it against the massive surface of his knuckles. He smirked, chuckling downwards at me.

"I knew I liked her," he said grinning towards Edward, before he turned and proceeded through the grand doorway and out into the night. Rosalie passed by us moments later, without so much as a glance in my direction. I had the distinct feeling that despite her failure to end my life, solely due to Edward's swift and reckless intervention, she considered me dead in her mind regardless. Edward glared at her venomously as she walked by him, stalking out into the night, tossing her fur about her shoulder as if to brush off his expression as being beneath her. Edward rolled his eyes in exasperation, glancing down at me with brevity, an unspoken apology swimming in the glistening golden depths of his gaze. I shook my head ever so slightly, attempting to dispel her hostility, for I could bear no additional weight within my body at the present moment. I turned to face Esme, who was quietly making her way across the room towards us. Her gaze caught mine as her hand came to rest gently upon my shoulder.

"Be safe my dear," she said, a tender, radiant smile spreading gently across her exquisite face. I could not restrain myself as I took a step forward, closing the space between us, and wholeheartedly embraced her, crushing her frame against me with more force than was probably wise. I was unable to stop myself however, as the woman that felt almost like a second mother to me prepared to divert attention from me, even when the danger that had been cast upon not only myself, but upon all of us, was inarguably my own fault.

"Please – be careful Esme," I said, crushing her body ever tighter against my own. I felt nothing short of detestable for having put her in danger, for having put any of them in danger. She subtly turned her face into mine, placing her mouth directly beside my ear, hiding her expression in the depths of my hair.

"Bella – could you do me a favor?" she asked in a nearly inaudible whisper, soft enough that I was certain nobody but myself would be able to hear it. I nodded gently against her, attempting to make my movement as subtle as I could, for I could feel Edward's watchful gaze upon me.

"Look after Edward for me. He needs you far more than you realize," she said, her voice drifting almost noiselessly into my ear. I nodded again with gentle subtlety against her shoulder. Of course I would look after Edward. Anymore he was practically my entire world. I could feel the smile spread across her face as she released me, nodding ever so lightly in my direction with clear gratitude, before she turned to face Edward.

"Be careful son," she said closing the distance between them rapidly and throwing her arms about his towering shoulders.

"I always am," he said softly, leaning forward to kiss Esme lovingly upon the forehead as he embraced her.

"I expect you to do the same, alright?" He said, pulling back from her to place his hands upon her arms, glaring sternly at her.

"I'll see you soon," she said, rolling her eyes at him as a warm smile made its way across her features.

"Likewise," Edward replied softly, smiling at his mother fondly as she strolled away from him, making her way beneath the overhang, and into the front seat of the SUV. The brilliant headlights illuminated the powdery snow as it fluttered to the ground, before swirling about the vehicle as it swept them away swiftly into the night. I hoped with every fiber of my being that I would be in their warm company again very soon.

"The two of you are next," Jasper said, drawing my attention to where he stood beside Carlisle and Alice. I faced the three of them, exhaling my tension into the night.

"Carlisle – Jasper – thank you – for everything that you've ever done for me – and especially for this. I know that both of you are well aware that I don't deserve it," I said softly, allowing my gaze to fall downwards towards the polished stone floor, as my nerve waivered in the face of the people who were trying not just to save me, but to save all of us. I knew I deserved the exile that I was receiving. Edward on the other hand, did not deserve such treatment, and my guilt struck me anew like a hot iron through my chest.

"Bella – that's what I do. I protect my family, and as long as you're with Edward, you too are my family," Carlisle said, smiling softly towards me, despite the weight that subtly pulled his expression downward. He was clearly still apprehensive about the events to come, and I certainly could not blame him for that. I stepped forward, wrapping my arms about Carlisle. His body stiffened instantly beneath my embrace, before I felt him begin to slowly relax, wrapping his arms gently about me for a brief moment, before he released me. I shifted to gaze upwards unsteadily at Jasper, whose eyes bore into me with immense force.

"You've come so far Bella," he said, nodding at me in a gentlemanly fashion, raising the back of my hand slowly to his lips.

"Don't let it go to waste," he said solemnly, and I nodded at him in return, understanding the message that he was delivering to me, the most realistic message that any of them had handed down to me this evening. Don't allow myself to be killed.

"Be careful – all of you," I said, glancing between the three of them.

"Wait - is that all I get?" Alice asked, raising her eyebrow pointedly above her expression in comical agitation. I couldn't help but chuckle despite the crippling force of my anxiety, rolling my eyes at her.

"Of course not," I said, stepping forward, rapidly closing the distance between us, and she locked me forcefully in her embrace.

" _Please_ be safe Bella, and for god's sake don't let Edward do anything reckless," She said, nodding at me urgently, a small smile tugging at the edges of her lips.

" _Me?"_ Edward asked, an eyebrow raised in offense as he gazed over at the two of us from where he had been talking with Carlisle. Alice expertly ignored his objections, and I could not stifle the chuckle that escaped my lips at his expense.

"I'll see you soon alright?" Alice said, capturing me with the intense warmth of her stare.

"Of course," I said, inhaling sharply, realizing that I was entirely unsure of whether or not that would actually be the case. She released me from her arms, and I took a step backwards away from her. I felt Edward's arm make its way securely about my waist as I inhaled, gazing upwards towards the ceiling, closing my eyes with brevity as I attempted to stifle the moisture that was suddenly attempting to leap into my eyes. There was no time for such foolishness at the present. I glanced back forwards towards the three of them, sighing heavily as I did so.

"Be ever vigilant my son," Carlisle said, nodding at Edward, and I couldn't help but notice that his eyes carried the weight of sorrow within them. We began to turn about, striding away from them when something in my mind caused my feet to grind to a halt upon the stone floor. Edward glanced down at me with perplexity, but I knew that there was one more thing I need to say before I would be able to leave the halls of the mansion. I turned about to face Alice, her gaze immediately landing upon me.

"Alice – you know that I love you right?" I asked, my voice trembling as I spoke, the burning moisture welling upwards within my eyes.

"I love you too," she said, her voice shaking notably as she stared at me, clearly fighting the same moisture that I myself was grappling with.

"It's time. Go – GO!," she instructed forcefully, waving her hands in our direction as if to push us from the room as she sniffled, turning her face away from the two of us and into Jasper's shoulder. My eyes lingered upon Jasper and Carlisle with brevity.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, before I turned once again in place, forcing myself towards the exit. A single drop of moisture defied me, blazing a trail down my cheek, both burning my skin and sending icy chills through me simultaneously. I shook my head slightly, attempting to dispel the weakness of my thoughts from my body. The painfully frigid air swirled about me as we crossed the threshold of the front door, making our way across the stone of the driveway towards the black, unmarked SUV which was to carry us through the night to the safety of the airport.

"She'll be alright Bella," Edward said softly, his finger tracing its way gently upwards across my cheek, wiping the trail of moisture away behind it.

"We all will be," he said, the slightest hint of a smile tugging upwards at the edges of his lips, though it was weighted by anxiety, anxiety that he was making his best attempt to conceal from me. I nodded to myself, attempting to force myself to believe that what he way saying was the truth.

Edward opened the car door before me, and I slid myself across the seat as he stowed our luggage in the trunk, before he joined me in the confined, warm space of the back seat. The interior of the car consisted entirely of black leather and fabrics, causing it to be nearly as dark as the night itself within its confines. Edward nodded subtly to the driver, and the vehicle began to slowly accelerate down the stone driveway of the Cullen estate. I turned about to gaze out the back window, watching the beautifully illuminated spectacle of the mansion fade away behind us, holding to the warmth that it represented, until it was eventually blocked from my sight by the forest, overtaken by the impenetrable emptiness of the night. Edward released my hand from his, and I turned to find him removing his coat, pulling it gracefully from his figure, exposing the ivory fabric of his skin tight sweater, which appeared almost ghostly in the subdued lighting. I followed suit, as I was beginning to feel overheated in the stiflingly warm air of the backseat. I folded my coat neatly in my lap and, following his example, leaned down to place it upon the floor of the vehicle. His arm wrapped its way about my waist, pulling against me gently until my body turned fully into him, nuzzling me against the warm security of his chest. I felt his chin come to rest upon the top of my head, as his hand began to casually stroke the length of my hair. I attempted to allow my anxieties to flow away from me into the heated confines of the car, to soothe my pounding heart and the tension of my body, but as I watched the snow swirl past us out the window, I couldn't help but feel an increased measure of apprehension.

"The snow," I whispered, gazing out the window into the frozen night, feeling my windpipe clench ever tighter.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" he asked softly, his hand gliding gently down my arm.

"What happens if they close the airport?" I asked. He glanced downwards at me, his demeanor entirely calm.

"Bella – it snows here rather frequently, and far heavier than this. The airports are very effective at handling snow in Chicago. Besides, we're far better off in the security of the airport than we are anywhere else, surrounded by thousands of witnesses, in an area with incredibly high security measures. James and Victoria may be ruthless – but they're no fools. They would never dare attack us in such a public setting," he said. I nodded my head against his sweater, glancing upwards at the reassuring expression that rested upon his face. He leaned forward towards me, resting the warmth of his flawless lips against my forehead. I wrapped my arms entirely about his torso, feeling the solidity of his back beneath my hands, and turned my face into the confines of chest. I inhaled deeply, allowing the scent of rainfall, pine and earth to swirl about in my head, fighting against the power of my apprehensions, containing them to a small piece of myself. I could not allow them to overrun me, to cause me to lose my wits. Instead, I sought peace and tranquility, focusing upon the sound of the vehicle as it traveled down the road, upon the fluttering flakes of ice as they passed by the window, the rise and fall of his chest beneath me as his breath tickled the back of my neck, and upon the steady, melodic rhythm of his beating heart as it leapt through his sweater and into my cheek. I felt the calmness begin to trickle through my system beneath the magnetic power of his influence, the flames burning within my chest illuminating the deepest parts of my mind until the darkness began to retreat within me. I pulled myself further against him as the car shifted and decelerated beneath us. I glanced out the windows to see us suddenly pulling away from the well-lit thoroughfare of the highway. Instead, the headlights twisted a path down a winding, snow lined road into the depths of the forest, the unlit sprawl of the darkness encroaching upon us from every side. I turned my gaze upon Edward, my perplexity swimming clearly in my eyes.

"It's just a detour," he said, nodding downwards at me calmly.

"A roundabout of sorts, to take us off of the more predictable path. It makes us much more difficult to intercept." I stared upwards at him, attempting to once again calm myself beneath the reassurance of his gaze.

"It's all part of the plan. I promise," he said, a subtle smile tugging upwards at the edges of his lips. A bright light suddenly came over his face, and his eyes snapped upwards out the window directly into the brilliance of it, the golden depths of his eyes wide.

The left side of my body was struck by unimaginable force, knocking the air clean from my lungs as the seatbelt across my chest snapped into me, throwing my body forward limply like a ragdoll as the sharp, metallic sound of crumpling metal and shattering glass filled the air. I could feel the vehicle spinning, and the lights twirled about endlessly as my head seemed to dance about out of control in the chaos. Then, just as suddenly as it began, there was nothing left but the perfect stillness of the night. The world seemed dull, and out of focus about me as my ears squealed with a high pitch ringing, almost like that of a bell. I leaned my head backwards, feeling the tenderness of my neck as I attempted to stop my head from spinning about uncontrollably. I could feel the frigid air stabbing dully at the exposed skin of my face as it poured into the vehicle through the broken window, and I suddenly realized that the entire vehicle was listing downwards to the right as I hung against the seatbelt. The passenger's side door was entirely open and Edward now stood at the bottom of a shallow, snow coated ravine below the opening, gesturing frantically in my direction, beckoning me forward with his arms. His eyes were wide and urgent as he reached his hand back upwards towards me, but I could not understand what he was saying through the ringing in my ears. Dancing bolts of light streaked rapidly across my vision, and a piercing pressure seemed to emanate from my forehead, as jolts of violent, fiery pain radiated from it, echoing throughout my head.

"Bella!" he shouted at me through the ringing in my ears, but it still felt faint and distant. I raised my hand carefully to my forehead, pressing it firmly against the pressure. The pain erupted like a streak of lightning across my head, before dulling out into a low throb. I pulled my hand from my head to find the tips of my fingers coated in a warm, glistening crimson liquid.

"Bella come on!" Edward shouted at me, suddenly appearing in the passenger side door, causing the vehicle to lurch downwards, his voice booming outwards as he reached upwards towards me frantically, his eyes widened, glaring at something behind me. I shook my head, attempting to cast away the fogginess of my mind, causing radiating bolts of pain to streak through my skull, before I turned my neck stiffly about to follow Edward's line of sight. My heart momentarily ceased its rhythm, the fog instantly evaporating as my gaze met the black soulless depths of his frozen, emotionless eyes; eyes that I would never forget. I lurched against my seatbelt as the cold, calculated depths of his irises focused in upon me, pinned helplessly to his seat by the slowly deflating airbag, which was deployed inside of the destroyed, smoking car which he had driven. I lurched backwards again as panic grasped its claws about my frantically beating heart. I strained against the seatbelt as Edward's hands suddenly collided with my own, attempting to find the latch that would free me from my restraint, for I knew all too well that I was staring death in the face, and that if I did not release myself, my life would end. I felt the latch give way with a click, and suddenly I was tumbling backwards. I felt my body collide solidly with Edward as I tumbled downward, before he too gave way beneath me. I felt myself roll out of the vehicle, plummeting a short distance before my chest collided solidly with the snow covered earth. I tumbled down the slope, twigs stabbing into my body, tearing at my clothing, at my exposed skin, until I at long last came to a stop upon the flat ground at the bottom of the small ravine. My gaze immediately snapped upwards to see Edward pulling himself from the ground a few feet in front of me, whipping his head about wildly until his gaze at long last fell upon me.

"Bella you have to get up. Your watch Bella! Your watch!" he said, his eyes frantic as he reached downward and grasped my hands, pulling me upward in a lithe, yet powerful movement. I gazed downwards at his wrist to see a small red light blinking rapidly beneath the scuffed surface of his watch. I suddenly recalled the emergency transmitter disguised within my wristwatch, the only thing that would let the others know that we were in danger. I reached down to my wrist, pressing the small concealed black button upon the side of the watch, until the faint red light began to blink rapidly upon my own wrist as well.

A powerful, concussive blast rang outward with enormous power, causing me to practically jump from my own skin as it echoed through the blackness of the night. My eyes snapped about towards the wreckage of the vehicles, following the horrifying sound of whistling air that seemed to emanate from the wreckage, as the airbag which had made James its prisoner began to rapidly deflate. I knew that we had to flee immediately if we wished to escape with our lives, but I was momentarily frozen in place by the stained crimson body of our driver, which was strewn lifelessly through the front windshield of our vehicle.

"Bella, we have to go," Edward uttered urgently, pulling against my arm with irresistible force. I turned away from the horrifying sight before me towards the shadowy depths of the woods, thrusting myself forward after him. As I stepped forward, a sharp, nearly electric pain jolted outwards from the ball of my left foot, and I yelped sharply into the night against my will as the current of it ran upwards through my leg. Edward span about to face me, concern staining his frantic expression.

"Bella," he uttered, his eyes widened, but I bit down sharply, ignoring the pain radiating from my foot with each step as I forced myself forward into the trees, which were quickly becoming lost in the heavily falling snow about us. Edward placed his arm powerfully about my waist, lifting upwards upon me with his shoulder, taking the burden of a large portion of my weight onto his own body, causing my steps to be significantly less excruciating as we shuffled our way into the snow covered darkness. I fought my way across the uneven ground, wincing with each step as I leaned as much weight as I thought he could spare upon Edward, not wanting to slow him, to place him in danger as we fled. My heart pounded within my chest as I rapidly sucked in as much air as I could with each frantic breath, the painfully frigid air seeming to burn my lungs from within as I gasped with exertion. The twiggy, leafless underbrush clawed at every inch of my body as I forced myself forward into it blindly, battling through the thick powder accumulating about my feet. I could feel the frigid slush building up about the edges of my shoes, seeping icy water downwards into my socks.

"Faster Bella," Edward said, gasping into the night as he propelled us forward into the inky blackness. Another powerful, concussive blast shattered the stillness, echoing through the air like a clap of thunder. I could distinctly hear the whistling that passed my right side, followed by the snapping and shattering of tree bark and wood as the invisible bullet buried itself in the forest. Edward's arms locked immovably about me, wrapping himself about my body protectively as he lifted my feet clear of the ground, pulling us about the backside of the nearest tree. I felt him loosen his grip ever so slightly as he slid down the length of the tree until we sat at the base of its trunk, partially guarded by the width of its roots. Another clap of thunder echoed its way through the forest, followed by a small thud, as chunks of snow and dirt blasted outwards several feet to my left where the bullet struck the earth. I could feel my lungs pleading for air as I panted rapidly, imagining the lethal pieces of metal flying through the forest, spelling certain death for anything that they touched. Edward shifted himself beneath me, removing his arms from my body, and rolled about onto his knees. I could faintly see him remove the firearm from his jeans in the incredibly dim light before he unleashed two deafening volleys of fire into the blackness of the powder that obscured the world before us. I could see him kneeling beside the tree, entirely in the open, far too exposed, and without thinking, I thrust myself forward into space, wrapping my arms about his body, attempting to pull him back behind the safety of the tree. A deafening clap of thunder rolled through the forest, followed by the sharp crack of splintering wood. A heated stinging sensation erupted from my tricep, as a numbing heat radiated in all directions up and down my arm. I released as small gasp into the darkness as my arm dropped like a deadened weight from about his torso, and his head whipped about to face me, pulling himself back behind the cover of the tree and its protective roots.

"Are you hit?" he asked, a horrified expression overtaking his features. I moved my hand about to the back of my arm, feeling the length of it, attempting to discern any sign of the gushing liquid that may be pouring from the numbness of my arm, but I could feel nothing except for the fine cloth of my sweater.

"I – I don't know," I admitted honestly. Despite the darkness, I could readily see the anguish in his eyes as he pulled himself forward against me, running his hands up and down the length of the arm that I had been inspecting, before suddenly his gaze was drawn towards the tree behind me, staring at it wildly, lost in urgent thought.

"We have to move – now!" He said, his tone hushed and urgent, as he wrapped his arms about my waist, and pulled me upwards in a single agile movement, spinning my body about so that I was in front of him, before he again began to drive us head first into the darkness.

"You weren't shot," he said, as I attempted to focus upon his voice in order to distract myself from the electric pains jolting upwards from the ball of my foot, and from the aching numbness of my arm.

"At least – not directly. The bullet hit the tree first, then grazed your arm. I'm such a fool. He must have seen the muzzle flash when I fired, that's how he knew where to aim," Edward said, panting as he pushed us ever forward into the darkness.

He paused abruptly, his eyes darting about into the blackness, almost as if he were looking for something, as though his eyes were seeing things that I felt entirely certain were not there. At long last, his gaze locked upon some invisible object in the night and we began to move forward with haste once more, though I could see nothing in the direction that we were rapidly stumbling. Another deafening crack echoed through the night, like the snapping of a whip. I tried not to envision the bullets that whirled by me invisibly, tried not to imagine them tearing through my flesh, tried not to imagine them piercing Edward. My heart continued to accelerate until it was nearly painful as it pounded against my ribs. I took comfort in the pain, for as long as I could feel it, I knew that I was still alive.

I knew instantly that Edward had found what he had been searching for the moment I saw the darkened silhouette of the outbuilding in the depths of the forest, for his gaze hardened with new found determination as we stumbled through the darkness towards it. It appeared to some sort of garage, or perhaps a warehouse, made of concrete walls with large vehicle doors all along the front of the building, which faced a snowed over road that was illuminated by a single, dim white street light. The back of the building was entirely overgrow by vines, except for a single door along its forested back wall. I stumbled forward through the darkness with increasing urgency until my hands at last touched the frigid metal of the doorknob. I pulled against it will all my might but the rounded knob would not budge.

"What do we do?" I asked, turning about to gaze frantically at him. Edward thrust himself past me, grasping at the handle with both hands, his every muscle and tendon visibly straining against the immovable metal of the doorknob. After a moment, he ceased his struggle against the frigid metal, exhaling heavily in frustration as his eyes darted about rapidly. I could practically see the thoughts speeding through his mind ever faster, searching for a solution, when his eyes widened, his gaze locking upon me with sudden fervor.

"I need your bobby pins," he said, his tone laced with urgency. I stared at him for a brief moment, utterly confounded.

"Wait what?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"From your hair! I need your bobby pins!" he said frantically, holding his open palm outwards before me, imploring me urgently with his gaze. I moved my hands upwards towards my hair, pulling the two small metal clips from the depths of my locks, and placed them carefully in his hand. He spun about immediately, kneeling down towards the door knob. A sharp gust of wind passed over us, its frigid fingers cutting instantly through the thin fabric of my sweater, stabbing through to my skin like the serrated blade of a knife. I gasped into the night beneath its torturous power, wishing desperately for the coat that I had left upon the floor of our vehicle. I wrapped my hands about my body, turning away from him to stare fearfully outwards into the blowing powder, searching for the lurking form that would spell my instant death, waiting for it to strike from behind the dimly lit veil of the trees. I stepped forward, placing myself between Edward and the menacing darkness, attempting to somehow shield him from its power. I could hear the faint sounds of jingling, and scraping metal behind me, and I whipped my head about to see Edward opening the door carefully outwards.

"Go!" He commanded me, wrapping his arm about my waist forcefully and pulling me through the threshold beside him into the inky blackness of the warehouse. He closed the door quietly behind us, extending his firearm before him. He pulled me firmly against his back in a protective stance as he swept the barrel of his gun about the room, his eyes vigilantly scanning the shadows before him. The space was expansive, with a long line of high, narrow windows along the left wall, through which the dim glow of the street light outside entered the space, casting faint shadows about the room. The room was incredibly cluttered, with a large quantity of seemingly random detritus strewn about. I could make out the shadowy forms of numerous golf carts, tool cabinets, barrels and drums, and a long line of what appeared to be sinks and mirrors in the far end of the space. The air was frigid, and stuffy, as though nobody had been inside for several days, and I could smell the scent of grease lingering in the air.

"Where are we?" I wondered aloud, wrapping my arms tightly about Edward's powerful torso, my heart pounding rapidly against his back as my eyes drifted about in the lurking shadows.

"The parks and recreation maintenance warehouse," he said flatly, lowering his weapon slowly, seemingly satisfied that we were alone.

"I used to volunteer in this park as a child. I had hoped that the warehouse was still here – and that I'd still be able to find it," he said. His head suddenly whipped about the room, his eyes darting about with urgency, landing upon the long shelf that ran the length of the right-hand wall of the room. There were numerous cabinets and barrels pushed against its length, effectively blocking it from being a useful surface. Edward suddenly began to stride across the room, grasping the edge of the shelf and swung himself beneath it. I stared at him in bemusement as he turned about to face me, nodding at me, beckoning me to join him with the frantic wave of his arm.

"What are you doing?" I asked him through my rapid breath, as I crossed the cluttered space towards him.

"We have to conceal ourselves," he said as I crouched down to join him upon the ground, gesturing leftward with a nod of his head. I glanced over to see that the barrels, cabinets, and vehicles that had been pushed against the back shelf of the room had completely enclosed it, creating a tunnel of sorts that made its way down the entirety of the wall. It would be impossible for James to see us if he were to enter the room, making it the perfect place to hide. I nodded at Edward in agreement, as he gestured for me to lead the way into the darkness. I inhaled steadily, attempting to force myself to breathe calmly despite the crushing weight that seemed to be resting upon my chest, attempting to squeeze the very life from my lungs. I proceeded forwards into the darkness for a significant distance, until I could no longer see anything that lied before me. The weight squeezed tighter about me, but I forced myself to continue to crawl forward into the abyss, forward towards the closest thing that I would find to safety in the nightmare in which I was currently living. My head struck something in the darkness, something with the texture of concrete I determined upon placing my hand upon it. It seemed that I had reached the back wall of the room, and I could see a distant entrance to the makeshift tunnel a few dozen feat off to my left where it followed the wall about the corner and down the back of the room. I twisted myself about to face Edward in the darkness, his eyes twinkling softly in the light of his watch as he stared at the faintly glowing hands upon its face.

"How long has it been?" I asked him in barely a whisper, forcing the words from my clenched throat.

"Eight minutes," he said, his voice tight and solemn, as though he too were fighting against the irrepressible weight of dread.

"So we still have – seven minutes before –,"

"If they noticed the beacons immediately – yes," he replied. His words stuck me across the chest with the power of a crushing blow, knocking the breath clean from my lungs, causing my thoughts to begin to careen wildly away from me like a snowball picking up unstoppable momentum down the side of a mountain. I inhaled jaggedly as the claws raked their way through me, as the inevitable conclusion that I had been attempting to avoid struck me with undeniable force.

"Edward - do you think that we're going to –," I began in a soft, quivering whisper, but he placed his finger gently upon my lips, his eyes twinkling at me in the near darkness as my body began to tremble with the uncontainable power of my own dread.

"Don't say it. Don't even think such a thing," he whispered. His arms made their way about my back, pulling me forward from where I sat until my body was pressed against the serenity and warmth of his chest.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to us – I promise," he said. He ran his hand down the length of my hair, holding me firmly against him, placing his lips softly against the skin of my cheek. I was completely unsure of how it was possible to feel so entirely safe, so secure, and yet at the same time feel as though I was dangling from the edge of a precipice. I focused upon the feelings of warmth, the feelings of safety, attempting to push my fear from my mind as forcefully as I could. I slowly pulled my hand from the firmness of his back, instead resting my palm firmly upon his cheek. I was his equal in this moment as well, and I would stand beside him until the end. I would enter paradise by his side, or I would enter the flames in his stead. I rested my forehead against his in the darkness, feeling his breath tickle at my lips as the burning emotions welled within me.

A high pitched creaking sound filled the room, echoing cavernously about the cluttered space. I could hear the footsteps passing slowly and deliberately through the threshold of the door before it closed with a thud. I pulled Edward's body tighter against my own in the darkness, as I attempted to repel the fresh wave of terror that washed powerfully over me.

"What an excellent place to hide," the menacingly smooth voice announced, reverberating through the air with a nearly ethereal quality.

"I must admit Edward – I'm very impressed, which admittedly is not a very easy thing to do. You should be proud of yourself. You made it rather difficult to determine your whereabouts this evening. Thank you – I appreciated the challenge," James said. The texture of his icy voice caused the very hair upon my arms to stand on end, and as my heart accelerated within my chest, I felt the ball of my foot begin to throb with renewed vigor, for it had been heavily numbed by the melting flecks of snow that had dripped downwards into my socks. Edward slowly released his arms from about my body, twisting them behind his form, retrieving a firearm in each hand from the rear of his jeans. I could barely make out the glinting metal as he held one of the lethal weapons before me in the near perfect darkness. I resisted the impulse to vomit upon him in that very moment.

"Bella – take this," he said in a nearly inaudible whisper.

"He's going to immediately assume me to be his primary target – he'll see me as the greater risk. He likely will assume that you aren't even armed. Keep it hidden, and if at any moment he becomes distracted or preoccupied by me – let your training take its course," he said, his words spilling forth with urgency.

"Keep moving down the tunnel until you reach the opening. If you see another way out of the building – go – immediately – and then run as fast as you possibly can. The others will find you by tracing your transmitter," he said, nodding at me with undeniable consequence as his gaze bored into mine with an unrelenting intensity the likes of which I had never before seen. I felt my airways collapse within my chest, my heart attempting to crack my very ribs as his instructions settled upon me with the crushing weight of an avalanche, and I gagged back the nausea which suddenly churned within me.

"What – no – I can't leave you Edward – not now," I whispered, the words stumbling out sloppily as my panic gripped me like a vice, crushing into me.

"Bella – you must – it's the only way," Edward whispered, his overwhelming gaze imploring me to follow his advice. I stared back at him, nearly distraught, wordlessly beseeching him to allow me to stay by his side.

"Please Bella – you have to trust me." I felt my body begin to tremble beneath the weight of his irresistibly forceful gaze, refusing to do what I knew that I must, fighting wholeheartedly against his undeniable logic. I felt the burning warmth of moisture welling powerfully behind my gaze as I stared at him, as I heard the light footsteps trace their way about the room, as I felt my heart pound relentlessly within my chest, my heart and my mind attempting to pull my body violently down two different paths. With an incredible burst of willpower, I yielded to the crushing force of what I knew I must do. I thrust myself forward in the darkness, pressing my lips into the flawless perfection of his, allowing the burning fire of his being to fully consume my soul. He responded to me with undeniable passion, as I felt the magnetic fire of his lips move against mine, his arms pulling me ever closer to him, invigorating my pounding heart with a sort of electric energy as the heated moisture that I had been attempting to hold back broke free of its confinement. I pulled myself back slowly from the flawless paradise of his lips, placing my hand gently upon the side of his face once more as the rolling drop of moisture burned a path down my cheek, searing my frozen skin. I held his gaze powerfully a moment longer, before I reluctantly removed my hand from the smooth skin of his flawless cheek, retrieving the firearm that he held forward for me in the darkness, and placed it down the back of my jeans, the cool metal resting against my bare skin. He slowly extended his arm towards me in the darkness, brushing the wondrous heat of his palm lightly over my cheek. I turned my head into his warmth, pressing my lips gently against the soft skin of his wrist, feeling the burning from my eyes roll forth onto his skin, and in an action that felt akin to snuffing out my very soul, turned slowly away from him in the darkness, and began to crawl forward into the unknown. I felt the bead of moisture roll from my cheek onto my hand as I crawled forward into the darkness, abandoning the thing that meant more to me than anything I had ever known, even more so than my own life.

"How did you manage to find us?" Edward's velvety voice echoed about the room, though his location was entirely impossible to discern through the clutter filling the space. I felt as though my stomach was flipping within my very gut at the sound of his voice, taunting the man who wished nothing more than to mercilessly end his very life. James chuckled lightly, almost playfully, sending a shiver racing up my spine.

"It was very wise of you not to carry any electronics with you these evening. Again – I applaud your effort. Next time however, I would make sure to communicate the same guidelines to your driver. It seems that he paid dearly for his mistake," James said, releasing a nauseating chuckle, as the image of our driver hanging lifelessly through the windshield, covered in the crimson stains of his own blood flooded back to mind with nauseating force. It was all that I could do to keep the contents of my stomach from spilling outwards in front of me as I crawled across the dirt covered floor of the makeshift tunnel.

"Why are you doing this?" Edward asked, his voice echoing about the warehouse. James again began to laugh.

"Now that would be quite a lengthy tale Edward. I'm afraid that I'm just ever so slightly preoccupied at the moment," James replied to him with perfect pleasantry.

"I'd like to believe that seeing as how you are about to murder me, you could spare a few moments to give me your justification," Edward retorted in a rather impatient manner. I felt my brow raise ever so slightly in perplexity, as I recalled with perfect clarity the conversation that Edward and I had shared only a night ago, detailing all of the reasons that James was seeking vengeance. What insight was Edward hoping to gain from taunting his enemy? James chuckled once more.

"Perhaps you're right Edward. Perhaps I do owe you an explanation, not that it will affect the outcome whatsoever. Consider it my granting of your last wish – if you so please," James said. I at long last reached the end of the makeshift tunnel, allowing my eyes to dart vigilantly about the room from the edges of the shadows. I had traversed the length of the warehouse, emerging into a space that was surrounded nearly entirely by sinks, paper towel dispensers, and endless mirrors angled every which way. I scanned the darkness before me, attempting to discern what was real and what was a reflection, when a large metal door caught my attention just on the other side of the bathroom renovation supplies. I simply had to cross the open area between the mirrors, and I would be able to flee as Edward had instructed, to find the others, to bring Edward help. I glanced about vigilantly once more in the subdued light, ensuring that I could see no obstacles in the path of my egress, but I saw nothing in my way. James was nowhere to be seen. I slowly rotated myself into a crouching position, readying myself to make a break for the doorway. I inhaled sharply, hearing my heart pound viciously in my ears, before I stood, sprinting across the open area, attempting to stay crouched, so as to keep myself below the sightline. The jolting pains shot upwards through my body as I sprinted, but I continued to force myself forwards towards my only chance at escape. The door was practically within my reach when I heard the sharp defined click of the safety of a firearm being released.

"Well hello there Bella. It's been far too long – wouldn't you agree." I froze entirely in place, sucking in jagged breaths as I felt my body practically implode upon itself, my arm still extended forward towards the doorway.

"Why don't you take a few steps back from the door – and let's catch up. I'd love to know all about how your journalism career has been progressing – seeing how you had such a blockbuster debut," James said tauntingly. I attempted to force my legs to move backwards, to pull me farther away from the door, but they shook so violently that I almost was unable to move myself. I focused upon my feet forcefully, taking a slow, deliberate step away from the doorway, turning ever so slowly in place to see the pleasant, yet somehow taunting smile that was etched upon James' face. It was a far more civilized expression than my fear racked mind had anticipated, as though we were merely old acquaintances who had gotten together to catch up over a cup of tea. In his outstretched hand the glinting barrel of his silenced weapon was trained dead upon the center of my eyes. A violent tremor swept devastatingly through me, paralyzing me in place.

"Another," James prompted, and I forced my legs yet another step backwards, despite my uncontrollable shaking, almost as though my body were about to collapse upon itself as I stared helplessly down the barrel of my own demise. I was entirely immobilized before him, seeing the many terrified reflections of myself standing before his weapon in the mirrors that surrounded me, and I knew with inevitable certainty that my end was near.

"You have exactly ten seconds to show yourself Edward – or dear Bella here will be taking a rather long, unpleasant, nap," he said, enunciating each word with precision, as his icy voice cut through my body.

" _No!_ " I shrieked into the darkness, willing James to focus all of his energy upon me, praying that Edward would take his opportunity to escape.

"Shhhh – quiet now Bella," he said, his voice full of mock chastisement.

"You really don't want to make this any more difficult than it has to be. You have five seconds" James said, suddenly speaking to Edward, his voice echoing loudly about the confines of the warehouse. I stared down the barrel of the gun, waiting for my time to end, for death to greet me like an old friend. I saw his finger begin to twitch, adjusting its position upon the trigger. Edward appeared out of the darkness like a phantom only a few feet to my left, his weapon extended before him, his stance firm, balanced, and calm, perfectly poised to end the life of the menacing nightmare that stood before him.

"Ah, ah – Edward. Drop your weapon – or things won't be ending so well for your precious Bella," James said, his eyes suddenly darting towards Edward.

" _Kill him!"_ I said, my breath rapidly accelerating towards hyperventilation as I awaited the moment the bullet would pierce my flesh and rapidly snuff out my existence. I could see Edward's hardened expression in the dozens of reflections that surrounded me.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Edward. After all, do you truly want to take the risk that you could kill me before my finger squeezes the trigger," he said, a taunting smile tugging upwards at the edges of his lips. I could see Edward's expression distorting in the dozens of reflections surrounding me. His eyes darted about, his focused determination wavering, slowly being contorted and replaced by conflicted anguish.

"Last chance," James said, his eyes refocusing upon my own. The barrel of Edward's gun began to shake violently in front of him, and I saw his eyes meet mine in the reflection, pain penetrating their golden depths, as he turned the weapon upon its side and slowly and deliberately began to crouch to the ground, placing the weapon delicately upon the concrete floor before him.

" _No!_ " I shouted, but it was too late. Edward stood fully erect once more, folding his hands slowly behind his head, surrendering himself entirely to James. His reflection stared deeply into my eyes, his expression entirely penitent as I felt a violent tremor shake its way through my body, freezing me entirely in place. I felt the burning moisture of a single tear break its way down my cheek as the long, glinting barrel of James's weapon disappeared from before me, turning briskly about to land its sights upon Edward's powerful, defenseless body.

" _Please! Kill me! Kill me instead! Please – just –_ don't hurt him," I finished in practically a whisper as my heart collapsed upon itself, my hands moving upwards involuntarily into the tangled locks of my hair as the wild throngs of desperate insanity tore at my body mercilessly like the claws of a predator. I felt my balance wavering as I panted helplessly, finding it impossible to fill my burning lungs with enough air to pull myself from the verge of eminent collapse.

"Why kill me?" Edward asked, staring James down with a great measure of nonchalance, as though he simply wished to receive a genuine answer before his death. His calm demeanor was as absolutely irrational as his line of questioning was, for I knew with certainty that Edward already knew the answer. What in the world could he possibly hope to achieve?

"Do you truly not know?" James asked, an expression of perplexed disbelief crossing his features. Edward shook his head, a perfectly rehearsed look innocence resting upon his face. His hands fidgeted nervously, an action that felt entirely out of place in his perfectly practiced act, the act that seemingly had no purpose. My eyes honed in upon his reflection, watching his hand play aimlessly with the band of his watch. Realization struck me like a bolt of lightning as my eyes flashed upwards to meet his briefly in the mirror. He was asking questions that he already knew the answers to intentionally. He was running out the clock, stalling as best as he could, giving our reinforcements every possible moment to come to our aid. He knew that he needed to engage James, to get him speaking, to drag out their conversation for as long as he possibly could, for it was our only chance at survival. Even in the face of his own demise, he was nothing short of brilliant.

"It's rather simple really," James began, pausing momentarily in thought, the barrel of his gun still aimed directly at Edward's exposed body.

"When my family was murdered in cold blood, based on the information that _your_ father provided, well – I knew that I had to seek vengeance for their deaths. I would have thought that you would have understood that," James said, arching an eyebrow at Edward as he cocked his head ever so slightly to the side. I was struck with a fresh wave of horrifying tremors, attempting not to double over in my nausea as I stared at the weapon which was still trained upon the man that I loved more than my own existence. As I violently shook, I felt something pinching at the skin of my lower back, almost as though something were attempting to tear the very skin from my body; something cool, and metallic: the firearm that was discreetly tucked away in the rear of my jeans. Edward's instructions reverberated deafeningly about inside of my head as I recalled its existence: that if James were to be distracted by him, to become preoccupied by the greater threat, I should allow my training to take its course. I knew that I had succeeded at my firearm drills, that I had attained a satisfactory level of accuracy, but never under the circumstances that I was currently in, never with Edward's very life at stake before me. I also recognized a larger problem. I somehow had to retrieve my weapon without James noticing.

"What does Victoria have to do with any of this?" Edward asked.

"Why – she's standing beside her husband like any dutiful wife should, of course. That's why she so graciously agreed to track the whereabouts of the others for me, in case you had been intelligent enough to send Bella away with one of the decoys. I don't like playing cards unless I know how the deck has been stacked you see," James said, chuckling menacingly. I began to inch my trembling hand about the front of my hip, attempting to move with enough deliberate slowness so as to not draw James' attention.

"How then, does killing me avenge the death of your family? Carlisle is the one who turned you all in - not me," Edward asked, feigning imbecility rather convincingly.

"Do you know how devastating it is to watch the people that you love – that you care about – that raised you to be the man that are – be torn away from you in hail of bullets? To watch them slowly bleed across the floor as you flee to safety – as they sacrifice themselves to ensure that you live to see another day. Simply killing Carlisle would never cause him the same pain that I suffered – but as a father – forcing him to watch me tear away the lives of each and every one of his children – I suppose that will have to suffice," James said, his eyes suddenly lightening with a dementedly playful expression.

"I must admit that I'm rather disappointed that Carlisle is unable to be in attendance tonight to watch you die. It rather defeats much of the purpose – wouldn't you agree. Luckily for him, I've arranged for him to receive a rather delightful gift – one that I believe he'll rather enjoy once I've taken care of this matter," James said, as he gestured downward to the small blinking red light upon his chest, with the ever vigilant lens of a mounted camera affixed to it. I could see the horror overtake Edward's expression, his eyes suddenly beginning to twitch in disgust at the abomination of James' cruelty, and I again had to resist the urge to vomit across the floor before me as my chest tightened with revulsion.

"You're a monster," Edward said, his voice jagged and rough. James chuckled lightly, his face distorting with sinister delight.

"Oh I've only just begun. You see – I realize that murdering you outright would likely be unimaginably painful for him to watch. It may even utterly destroy him. But I still don't believe that would quite suffice," he continued. My hand rounded my hip, beginning to creep with agonizing slowness about my back, my tremors increasing in severity as I continued to glare at the tip of the weapon that was trained upon Edward.

"I realized something pivotal. I don't simply desire that he watch you die. That would be far too easy an acquittal. I want him to watch you suffer. I want him to see you in agony. The true dilemma I faced, was how best to do that. I will admit, my immediate thought was simply to place a few well aimed pieces of lead into your legs, and then to sit back and enjoy as you slowly and painfully bled to death," He said, as my pinky found its way onto the frigid metallic handle of my weapon. My windpipe threatened to suffocate me as I attempted for force my hand down the length of the handle, never taking my eyes from James' menacing form.

"But then – I had a true stroke of good fortune. I stumbled across something miraculous entirely by accident – a certain article of interest in local university periodical. I knew the moment that I saw it – I had found something that would be far more effective – far more excruciating – than simply inflicting physical pain upon you," he said, his dark eyes suddenly glancing towards me as my fingers found their way about the handle of my gun.

"Thank you so much for bringing her along," he said. The tip of his weapon rapidly swung away from Edward as I pulled my firearm from the rear of my jeans. I could see the opening of the barrel aligning with my body as I began to thrust my weapon forward before me. I knew that I had no time. I was too late.

" _NOOOOOO!"_ Edward shouted. My hands were suddenly thrust away from me, my weapon veering heavily off course as Edward appeared before me like apparition, throwing his body before the barrel of the gun, his frantic expression appearing before me in the dozens of reflections about me. Two sharp concussive blasts echoed deafeningly about the space, the whirring of invisible death ripping its way through the air before the horrifying sound of tearing flesh, as I watched two punctures appear violently in the ivory fabric of his chest. His eyes jolted open in shock as the mass of his body shuttered backwards into me like a ragdoll, before he collapsed instantly, and powerlessly to my feet. My heart ceased instantaneously in my chest, my breathing frozen as my arms rebounded from his blow and my eyes met the very soul of the demon that stood before me, the demon that had struck him down mercilessly, the demon that I would obliterate, or face my own certain death in trying. My hands recentered directly before me, and I stared down the barrel of my weapon at the face of my own demise, every ounce of fear having vacated me as I met the demonic depths of his eyes with my viscous gaze. I pulled the trigger. The power that flowed from my hands was unlike anything that I had ever felt, tearing through me, projecting from my body, until I watched my power strike unrelentingly, pieces of bone and flesh erupting from where the eyes of the demon had been not even a mere instant prior. His body collapsed backwards, shattering the mirror on its descent, until it rested upon the ground in a pool of reflective crimson, vacant and entirely lifeless. I had slain the beast.

My hands began to tremble violently, and uncontrollably before me. I snapped the safety merely an instant before the weapon fell from my violently shaking fingers as my eyes darted downwards toward the ground below me. Edward laid before me upon the concrete ground, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he gasped laboriously for air, his face distorted in utter agony.

" _No, No, NO, NOO!"_ The words escaped my mouth as though they were a thousand shards of glass coming up my windpipe, drowning me in the heated liquid of my own blood. My legs tremored violently, giving way beneath me, as I landed upon my knees beside him, toppling to the ground, catching myself with my hands, before dragging myself across the frigid concrete until I was entirely over top of him. Burning liquid flooded my eyes with excruciating force as I stared upon the anguish of the angel that lied before me, the deep crimson stain of liquid soaking into the ivory fabric of his sweater in rapidly growing pools.

" _Edward_ ," I cried outwards, and his eyes snapped open into mine suddenly, their golden depths burning into mine with anguished desperation.

"Bella," he said, his voice rough and slow through his labored breathing.

"Yes, I'm here," I said, pressing my hands against the punctures in his chest, attempting to stop the warm gushing flow of blood that billowed outwards through my fingers. A splitting pain pierced through my chest, as though a sword was being driven agonizingly through my very heart.

"Are you alright?" he asked, struggling to speak through the rasp that edged his voice.

"I'm not hurt," I said, the burning moisture rolling from my cheeks downward onto his blood soaked chest. I inhaled a jagged sob as I attempted to keep myself from falling into the abyss. He coughed suddenly, wincing in utter agony as viscous crimson liquid ran from the side of his mouth, and his eyes became unfocused and began to drift listlessly upwards.

"No – _No!_ Edward wait. Stay with me! _Please! Somebody help,_ " I shouted outwards, nearly choking upon my own tears as I sobbed my desperation outwards into the night. I collapsed downwards to within inches of his miraculous face, warm blood running from my hands as I desperately sobbed. Something cool brushed against my cheek, and I glanced downwards through my blurred, tear soaked vision to see his finger frailly wiping a tear from my cheek.

"Bella – I love you," he said, his voice faint and wavering, barely above a whisper.

" _NO!_ Don't you dare! You can't! You can't leave me like this!" I screamed out in complete hysterics, my body burning as though I were being lowered alive into a vat of boiling water, a fresh wave of tears plowing their way catastrophically outwards as my very heart threatened to burst. He struggled to direct his gaze upon me, his eyes weighted and heavy.

"Promise me – promise me that you'll stay," I sobbed weakly, imploring him with every fiber of my being. I moved my hand upwards towards his face, brushing his cheek gently with my blood soaked hand, watching as his eyes momentarily refocused upon me, blazing into my very soul with their incredible golden depths, twinkling as I had never seen them before, as though I could see his very heart within the depths of his eyes.

"Forever – and always," he whispered, as I felt every beat of my heart push my unending love for him forward into his eyes, into his heart. A tear rolled clear of my nose, dropping downward through the air like crystal, landing gently upon his cheek. A small smile tugged weakly at the edges of his lips as his head listed slowly sideways, and his eyes came to a gentle close.

"Edward?" I asked, my throat closing entirely about the word as I forced it from my heaving chest. He did not respond.

" _EDWARD!?"_ I shouted, grasping his arms and shaking him frantically. He did not move. A hysterical cry escaped my lips, echoing outwards violently into the night as I pressed my cheek firmly against his chest. Where once I had heard nothing but the comfort, the love, the security, and the miraculous music of his wondrous heart, there now existed nothing but the hollow void of perpetual, unremitting Silence.


End file.
